A Very Good Looking Zanshi ori Panel: Indigo and Brown

ca. early twentieth century
67" x 14", 179.25 cm x 35.5 cm

Zanshi ori is cloth that is woven from threads either leftover from home production of yarn making, or from broken threads that were purchased from local commercial weavers.  Usually the weft is fed with these random threads while generally the warp is regulated producing an irregular horizontal 'striping'; if home threads are used, knotted slubs can often be seen.

This is a really lovely and slightly unusually colored length of zanshi ori; the panel is taken from a futon cover.  The unusual coloration is due to the deep indigo which is contrasted by a dull nut color and white flecks.  This brown tone is probably a natural dyestuff derived from some kind of nut, and the effect of the brown, blue and white is striking.

There is one, large, striped piece of cotton hand stitched to the top of the length.

A beautiful thing.