A Wonderful Cotton Komebukuro: Arranged Pieces on the Bias
ca. mid twentieth century
11" x 9 1/2" x 9 1/2", 28 cm x 24 cm x 24 cm
This kind of piece-constructed, drawstring bag is often referred to as a komebukuro.
Komebukuro
are bags that were used to bring token offerings of uncooked rice or
beans to a temple or shrine festival, the piecing and patching often
being thought-out and planned, for festive effect.
This bag, which is of good size, is composed of about ten separate pieces of cotton showing a variety of about five different cottons. The initial appeal of this bag is that the cotton pieces are arranged on the bias, which gives a gentle sense of motion to the bag and its construction.
The bag is partially lined in blue-on-white katazome cloth and shows a lovely, purple color cotton cord which is laced through a cord of the same weight which is dyed green.
This particular bag may or may not be this kind of bag--it may have
been intended to be used as an "everyday" or utilitarian bag--but its
appeal is instant and it is a really lovely thing.
