A Length of Rustic Woven Linden Fiber: Wiry and Highly Textured Cloth

early twentieth century
62" x 11 3/4", 157.5 cm x 32.5 cm

This is a length of hand plied, hand woven shinafu, which is a traditional, rustic, Japanese bast fiber-based cloth that is woven from yarns processed from the inner bark of the linden tree. It is more than likely from Japan's rural northeastern area, Tohoku, and probably more specifically from Yamagata or Niigata.

Shinafu usually shows a copperish or reddish tone, its yarns are wiry and scratchy and often shinafu was used for utilitarian textiles because of the strength and durability of its fibers. This particular length of shinafu is highly textured and shows a deep, rich color which might be the result of exposure to the elements or from the oxidation of age.

Its two short ends are hemmed in a way that indicates there was a specific purpose in making the length as it is shown here.

This is a marvelous opportunity to own a handsome piece of collectible shinafu which is  hand plied and, in the field of Japanese bast fiber weaving, fairly rare.

Recommended.