A Long Half-Width of Sakai Sarasa: Indian-Inspired Japanese Cloth

mid to late nineteenth century
54 3/4" x 6 1/4", 139 cm x 16 cm

This is a length of half-loom-width Japanese stencil dyed, hand spun, hand woven cotton cloth that is meant to evoke the feeling of Indian trade cloth or sarasa.

Sarasa was collected by connoisseurs of beauty in Japan who were people of great means and high social position. The fact that sarasa was imported and exotic was a lure for attraction--and add to that the mastery of hand drawn design, color and dye achieved by Indian textile artisans that drew interested from Japan's elite.

Sakai sarasa, of which this is a good example, is named for the Sakai area of Osaka where this type of cloth was produced.

Because this is a half-loom-width which was folded down the center of the length we have to assume it was used as trim on another textile or object.

The center crease is ingrained and there is some fading, scuffing and light surface wear to this otherwise very beautiful length of rare cloth.

The pattern and the use of color is distinctive and associated with Sakai sarasa; this is a classic example of this kind of 19th century cloth from Osaka.

Absolutely beautiful.