Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art: Asian: Japanese (195)

Large bag made of vegetable indigo dye hemp which looks recycled from hemp mosquito net, whose warps and wefts are hand-plied. The second half of the 20th century. 63cm x 88cm

Wood urushi plate with kin-makie (gold lacquer) of "Yajirobeh"", a balancing toy motif. In good condition except for a mending, however, it is done by a professional and no serious problem. Meiji period (1868~1912) Diameter:16.5cm, Depth:2.7cm

Baby's juban (under kimono) handwoven of hemp whose wefts are hand-plied but warps are machine-spun. It is dyed with benibana (safflower). In good condition. Late 19th to early 20th century. W:33cm, L:62cm

Zabuton, a floor cushion made of hand-spun cotton and vegetable indigo dye. One side has kasuri pattern. It has four layers of cloth and sashiko (quilting) with white cotton yarn. Generally, in good condition but has wear or breaks in hems. Early 20th century. W:58cm, L:59cm.

Three baby's kimonos, all three have lining with thin cotton for warmth. Two kimonos in yellow and brown stripes are from Akita prefecture where is the product place of Akita-hachijo, which is plain weave tsumugi (pongee silk) dyed with vegetable yellow and brown. Two of them have charm made of silk crepe in the back. Some of kimono for a baby or a child have charms in the back as evils believed to come from the back. The red kimono is made of cotton with katazome...

Girl's kimono made of hamp, made in Ohmi region in Shiga prefecture, and it is called Ohmi-jofu. It has kasuri pattern, whose motifs are phoenix, cloud and flower. Warps are machine-spun and wefts are hand-plied. Red cloth inside is silk. Meiji period (1868~1912) In excellent condition. W:97cm, L:107cm

Cotton lining for narrow sash (obi). Most of the fragments are hand-spun cotton cloth, such as plain cotton indigo dyed, itajime mame-shibori (clamp-board dye), katazome (stencil-resist-dye) etc. The second half of the 19th century. 15cm x 4m50cm

Bamboo basket container coated with urushi. It is handwoven of bamboo strips and covered with washi (Japanese handmade papaer), and then painted with black urushi. It has a label inside which says "Kataji kawago" which used to be a basket made of bamboo or wicker and covered with deer skin, or covered with washi later. It also says it was made in Ise in Mie Prefecture. It has vegetable indigo dyed washi lining. Generally in good condition but has many parts urushi came off, breaks and wear...

This is possibly a card or ticket case made of rare piece of bingata cotton cloth. Bingata is katazome ( stencil-dyeing ) produced in Ryukyu islands ( now Okinawa ). This bingata was produced in 19th century, but this case might have been made later, early 20th century ( sewn by machine ). The lining is silk. In excellent condition. 13cm x 7.7cm

A piece of hand-spun cotton cloth with chrysanthemum pattern, whose ground cloth in green is dyed with vegetable indigo and vegetable yellow, but the dye of the reddish-brown mum pattern is not clear. In excellent condition. 19th century. W:32.5cm, L:130cm

Woodblock print, Ukiyoe, the original picture is painted by the third generation of Utagawa Toyokuni (Utagawa Kunisada, 1786～1865）The place is Nihon-bashi in Edo, the first stage of the "Tokaido Fifty-Three Stages". The man is a "katsuo-uri", bonito fish vender. In good condition. Mid 19th century. W:25cm, L:37cm

Kataginu, a top part of kamishimo which is a formal wear of samurai, worn over summer kimono. It is made of hemp and vegetable indigo dye. The weaving technique is "mojiri-ori" (warp crossing). Family crest design is faded but in good condition. 19th century. 66cm x 66cm

A woodblock print on washi with 29 ways of wearing tenugui which is the Japanese hand towel made of cotton. It has been using as hand towel as well as hat or scarf. In good condition except for a break in one of the corners. Printed by "Isetatsu which was founded in 1864, very late Edo period in kanda in Tokyo. The second half of the 19th century." 25cm x 37.5cm

Baby's ceremonial kimono made of asa whose warp and weft are hand-plied. It looks choma (ramie) than taima (hemp), however it is not proven till it is looked by a microscope. Child's or baby's kimono was recycled from adult's and so did this one. It has some stains. The folded seam in the body is unseamed. The second half of the 19th century. 96cm x 115cm

A bag made of hand spun cotton and vegetable indigo dye. It has a family crest, "Maru-ni-Yotsumebishi". It has lining made of also hand spun cotton and vegetable indigo dye. The cord is hemp. In good condition but has some holes. The latter half of the 19th century. W:30.5cm, L:48cm

Maekake, apron made of Ohmi jofu, which is asa (hemp) with kasuri pattern. Weft kasuri yarns are board-clamp dye, so that both selvedges have bar-code like white lines. All hand-sewn and in excellent condition. It has red cotton belts. Late 19th to early 20th century. W:49cm, L:73cm

Maiwai is a kimono having been given to fishermen from a fish boat owner on the occasion of the large catch. It is seen along the Pacific Ocean, from Aomori to Izu Peninsula in Shizuoka prefecture. The motif of the picture in the lower part is “Gonin-dachi Kashima Odori”, five people performing Kashima dance which is the group folk dancing originated from Kashima-jingu Shrine in Ibaraki Pref. The design is katazome (stencil-resist-dye) and vegetable indigo dyed and pigments...

Huge cotton cloth with dynamic and vivid Shishi (lion), peonies, waves and tachibana (citrus) with tsutsugaki (glue resist dye). The tsutsugaki technique is excellent and lines are very smooth and powerful by a prominent craftsperson. Judging from the shape and size, it might have been used for "Shishimai" (lion dance) at the festival, held in Fukui, Toyama or Ishikawa Prefecture. In excellent condition. Meiji period (1969～1912)