ca. late Nineteenth, early Twentieth century
24" x 38", 61 cm x 96.5 cm

Beautiful inside and out, this han juban, or half under kimino, is made of indigo dyed, stencil resist dyed cloth known as katazome. A precisely cut stencil is placed on cloth; rice paste is squeegeed through. The cloth is then treated and dyed and the rice paste is washed away, leaving a figured cloth; katazome gained great popularity in the late Eighteenth and Nineteenth centuries in Japan.

This piece shows the shippo tsunagi, or interlocking circles motif. The sleeves, which would have been taken on and off and replaced over time, are of a commercially produced cotton. The front collar is of a crepe silk called chirimen. The interior is beautifully reinforced with patches of contrasting pattern and color. Note on the lower bottom collar area an additional katazome pattern.

A beauty and recommended.