ca. early to mid twentieth century
69 1/4" x 28 1/2", 176 cm x 72 cm

This is a wonderfully unusual and very beautiful boro textile which is created from four, heavily patched and stitched sakabukuro, or sake straining bags, that have been splayed open and stitched together, to create what appears to be a shikimono, or a kind of sleeping mat.  That this was intended to be a shikimono is pure speculation and where utilitarian, recycled textiles like this are concerned, there are many cases where they were made to fulfill a certain function unique to a certain situation, so we never really know why certain textiles were made.

The sakabukuro used to create this textile are heavily textured from patching and stitching and they probably date to the time of the Second World War or so.  The four pieces are stitched together using a sewing machine, however the patches and stitches to each sakabukuro is hand done.

The four sakabukuro, in the configuration in which they are made, have almost an African feeling, probably in large part due to the color and to the suggestion of the now famous kuba cloth from the Republic of Congo.

Unusual, beautiful and desirable, this comes extremely recommended.