Catalog: Vintage Arts: Regional Art (210)

Arai-hari meisen cloth for one kimono. Arai-hari means a kimono is unsewn, washed and dried on the board, which is a traditional way of cleaning kimono. In excellent condition except for minor spots in one part (10th image). It is strong enough so that good for remaking. Two pieces for the body part, each one has different width in the middle, shoulder part (11th image). W:35cm and 23cm x 3m24cm Two okumi (front panel) cloth. W:17.5cm x 2m16cm Two sleeve cloth, sewn in one cloth...

Long cloth with shibori which is worn by a woman when she worked in the fields to protect skin from sunburn or bug bites, which covers a head with only an opening for eyes. It was mainly used in the southern part of Tohoku district. It is made of cotton and dyed with vegetable indigo. The fronthead part has double cloth. In good condition but the white stitches have some ravels and a few small holes. The first half of the 20th century. 34.5cm x 170cm

Saiho-hinagata (or hinagata), the sewing sample which is a miniature sample to learn sewing. It was invented by an educator for saving time and textile using a special measuring rod. It was practiced in a girl's school from Meiji 7, 1874). Reduced scales were one-third in the beginning and one-quarter, one-half, one-fifth etc. The sewing technique was exactly same as the real size in details. Saiho-hinagata was designated as a significant tangible folk cultural asset...

A sheet of "tatougami" made of recycled washi (Japanese handmade paper) used at a pawn shop. Hocked items were wrapped in this tatougami and kept. It is made of used washi with letters and kakishibu is painted for insect repellent and for moisture-resisting. The first half of the 20th century. In good condition but has one moth bite hole. 66cm x 66cm

Basket handmade of Yama-budo, wild grapevine which grows deep in the mountains. It is used by a mountain worker as a backpack. Generally in good condition but has a few minor breaks. The first half of the 20th century. W:43cm x 28cm x 15cm.

Boro sodenashsi (vest) made of cotton stripes for outside and hand-spun and vegetable indigo dye cotton inside. It has 2 layers indigo cloth with sashiko and 3 layers with stripes parts. The first half of the 20th century from Tohoku district. Shoulder W:36cm, Hem W:53cm, L:69cm

Pilgrim's coat made of asa (hemp) with hand-written Buddhist sutra. It also has stampted Zao Gongen who is a main image of the Kinpusen-ji temple and Ominesan-ji temple. It has many red stamps of holy places where the pilgrim had visited such as Ominesan-ji, Kinpusen-ji, Zaodo etc. which are located between Wakayama and Nara prefecture where "shugen-sha ( holy man )" has been practicing Shugendo. The area was designated as "World Heritage". The first half of the 20th century...

Cotton juban (under kimono) with shibori pattern whose techniques are Miura shibori and Ori-nui shibori. The collar cloth is silk crepe with woven pattern. It has thin wool muslin with pattern in both sleeves. In good condition except for several small moth holes. It is from Tohoku district where has cold weather in winter. The first half of the 20th century. W:123cm, L:125cm

Sakiori sodenashi (vest) hand-woven of strips for wefts which are recycled from old indigo dye cotton cloth and warps are asa (hemp) threads. It has some mending patches and wear. The first half of the 20th century. 35cm x 63cm

Lined woman's kimono made of high quality silk crepe with geometric pattern which is katazome (stencil-resist-dye). In good condition except for a few minor stains. 1920s or 30s. 124cm x 148cm

Four sheets of Chiyo-gami which is woodblock print on washi (handmade paper). It is originated in Kyoto and developed in Edo later. It is used for paper dolls and paper crafts. The first half of the 20th century. 53cm x 38cm (the largest one)

4 sheets of Chiyo-gami with autumn leaves designs which are woodblock prints. The paper is washi, a handmade paper made from mulberry fiber. Chiyo-gami was originated in Kyoto and developed in Edo later. It was used for paper dolls and paper crafts. Generally the larger one is the older. Clockwise from top left: 53cm x 37cm, 52cm x 37.5cm, 41cm x 32cm, 53cm x 37cm The top left one has rather thick texture and others have thin texture. The fourth one has a break in the corner...

Cotton futonji with beautiful kasuri in check pattern, which is handwoven. Warps and wefts are both hand-spun and vegetable dye, indigo and brown color. It is from Fukuyama city in Hiroshima prefecture (Bingo-gasuri). The first half of the 20th century. In excellent condition. W:131cm, L:140cm

Sakiori sodenashi (vest) handwoven of strips recycled from old cotton cloth for wefts, and hemp yarn for warps. Sakiori hanten and sodenashi were made mainly in districts along the Japan Sea of the mainland, where they have much snow and cold climate in winter. Piping cloth is indigo dye cotton. In excellent condition. The first half of the 20th century. W:49cm, L:86cm

Makanai which is a kimono worn at home after work in the Nanbu region, where is the east part of Aomori prefecture. It is made of hemp cloth whose wefts and warps are hand-plied and lightly vegetable indigo dyed. The lining is machine-spun cotton. It has very fine sashiko with indigo dye cotton yarn. In good condition but has light stains in front as well as in the back. The last image is from the book "Michinoku-no-Kohu-no-Sekai" by Tanaka Chuzaburo. The first half of the 20th century...

Noragi (work wear) made of asa (hemp) whose both wets and warps are hand-plied. The sleeves are vegetable indigo dyed cotton. A few holes with mending patches. Late 19th to mid 20th century. 109cm x 71cm

Urushi small tray with gold makie whose motifs are auspicious noshi and treasures. It has an original wooden box. In excellent condition except for a chip (8mm) in the rim. Late 19th to mid 20th century. W:27cm L:18cm H:12cm

A large bag made of taima (hemp) which was used for cocoons. The first half of the 20th century when the Japanese silk industry was most prosperous. This bag might have been used at the silk-raising farmers. Many mending stitches and a few patches. L:109cm, W:81cm