ca. mid twentieth century
36" x 14 1/2", 91.5 cm x 37 cm

Meisen silk is a development of late nineteenth century Japan, a time when the sumptuary laws of feudal Japan were lifted, allowing everyone in the country equal rights to wear silk or bright colors: in old Japan, the class system was legislated by rulings dictacting what could be worn and by whom: so many of the dark and subtle textiles of old Japan were designed in that way in order to conform to governmental edicts concerning dress.

Meisen silk is a commercial grade silk dyed in synthetic dyes, an innovation of the late nineteenth century.  Due to the new social freedom in Japan starting in late nineteenth century, kimono fabric was designed with large repeats in bright colors and were sold at department stores and other commercial venues.  As time went on, especially in the first half of the twentieth century,  Japanese designs were cross- pollinated with Western design and wonderful, jazzy hybrids were developed, such as this fragment of meisen silk that has been patched.

Old silk tends to split, as this fragment has: this is why it is patched.  That said, please do note that this little jewel is a bit fragile and should handled carefully to avoid furhter splitting of the old silk.

A really unusual and wonderful fragment.