Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art: Asian (195)

Cotton Wa-sarasa produced in Kyoto, called Kyo Sarasa. The word "Sarasa" means cotton cloth with designs which are hand-painted, woodblock printed and copper plate printed, Those sarasa cloth were brought by trade from India, Europe, Persia (Iran), Java etc. in 16th and 17th century. Cotton with colorful and exotic design fascinated Japanese people, especially tea ceremony masters and rich civilians...

Sample book of fragments which are mostly hand-spun cotton with katazome (stencil-resist-dye) and also has ramie and hemp with kasuri pattern and bashofu with katazome. It has about 80 different fragments. In good condition. The second half of the 19th century. 8cm x 24cm x 3cm

Futonji or shikimono (carpet) made of many pieces of hand-spun cotton cloth except for the lining. Most of pieces are vegetable indigo dyed and some with chawata (natural brown cotton)It has some holes and mending patches. Late 19th to early 20th century. 120cm x 130cm

A pair of tabi with sashiko which is made of white cotton cloth. In good condition but has some stains (washed). Late 19th to early 20th century. L:23cm W:10.5cm H:16cm

Furoshiki with tsutsugaki auspicious motif, sho-chiku-bai which are pine, bamboo and plum blossoms. It is made of hand-spun cotton and dyed with vegetable indigo and colored with pigments. In good condition but has a hole (2cm x 5mm) which is mended and pigment in plum blossoms is faded. Late 19th to early 20th century. 130cm x 142cm

Samurai's kaji-haori (jacket), mune-ate (breast pad) and ate (ornament in the back waist) and all pieces have Tomoe kamon (three-way family crest). The ground fabric is not sure, looks mixture of cotton and wool and the lining is cotton European print. There were many massive fires in Edo in 17th and 18th century. Edo government organized the fire prevention system by samurai and then by civilian firefighters (hikeshi) later...

Two pieces of asa kaya cloth (hemp mosquito net. Warps and wefts are hand-plied and vegetable indigo dyed. Faded indigo blue and good condition. Late 19th century. 34cm x 2m80cm

Wood Sumikiri-bon with red urushi. Summikiri means a tray in the shape which four corners are cut. Four sides have painted in Negoro style which has partly black urushi. Used and some scratches and chips. Late 19th to early 20th century. 36.5cm x 36.5cm x 3.5cm

Furoshiki (wrapping cloth) made of hand-spun cotton and vegetable indigo dyed. The crest is hand-drawn by tsutsugaki technique. It has sashiko on the four corners. In excellent condition except for a cut (1cm) in the crest. The second half of the 19th century. 135cm x 137cm

Juban (under kimono) made of three kinds of silk cloth. One is silk crepe with yamamayu (wild silk) stripes and the other is silk crepe with stripes. The third one is tsumugi (pongee silk) with katazome komon (stencil-resist-dye small pattern). All natural dyed. Yamamayu (wild silk) is rare and precious comparing with cultured silk. It is hardly dyed, so that it stands out shiny when woven together with silk crepe. It is sewn with very fine choma (ramie) thread so that it is rather old...

Beautiful Okinawan uchikui which is a furoshiki (wrapping cloth) with cherry blossom design. The dye technique is tsutsugaki and bingata-zome which is traditional Okinawan dyeing technique adding colorful vegetable color or pigment. Uchikui is dyed with either tsutsugaki or katazome (stencil-resist-dye). Uchikui is used for not only wrapping but also covering gifts. This uchikui is two panels sewn together. Wefts are choma (ramie) and warps are cotton...

Twelve Shinsho are guardian Buddhas of Yakushi Nyorai and they are 12 worriors and armoured. They have 12 animal symbols on the head. This one looks "Sarugami", monkey judging from the apprearance. Early 18th century. In good condition but some parts are lost. Height:29cm Width:12cm

Noren made of hand-spun cotton and vegetable dyed (probably kakishibu) and all hand-sewn. It has "Yotsume" family crest. In excellent condition. The second half of the 19th century. 122cm x 126cm

A wooblock print book whose pictures were originally by Ando Hiroshige (or another name Utagawa Hiroshige) who was a prominant and well known ukiyoe-shi (1797~1858). This book was edited in Ansei 2nd (1855). In good condition but has some patina from aging. 11.5cm x 18cm x 0.5mm 38 pages

Sake (or water) container made of hyotan painted with kakishibu (persimmon juice) many times. It has hand-bladed silk cord for decoration and carrying. In excellent condition except for a bit of wear in the tassels. Late 19th to early 20th century. L:44cm Diameter:8cm

A container for gun powder used by samurai. It is in shape of hyotan, but made of wood and painted with urushi. The netsuke in the shape of mokugyo (temple block) with delicate carving. 19th century. In good condition. H:14cm Diameter:8cm

Wood oke, a container with a handle. The strips around it are made of bamboo. Generally in good condition. It has carved character in the bottom but unreadable. The second half of the 19th century. Diameter:20.3cm, Height:23.3cm

Kappa (cape) which was called "hikimawashi" or "maru-gappa" in old days. It is made of cotton with warp kasuri checker board pattern on one side and cotton stripes on the other side. It was worn on the occasion of travel over kimono. It has wool collar, probably imported. The word "kappa" came from Portuguese "capa". The Portuguese first came to Japan in 17th century. This collar also shows the influence of the western fashion design. The second half of the 19th century. Partly sewn by machine...