An Intact Old Futon Cover: Hemp and Edo Komon Silk

late nineteenth century
73" x 58", 185 cm x 147 cm

This beautifully pieced, large "collage" of old Japanese cloth is an intact futon cover.

The arrangement of figured, plaid and plain hemp cloth which forms the proper top of this bedding is remarkably artful for its tonal qualities, for its distribution of darks and lights, and for the subtle contrast between pattern and geometry.

More than this, it is the almost architecturally structured piecing of this old cloth that gives this "proto-Modernist" composition its beauty.

The back of the futon cover is made of what appears to be an entire, re-purposed crepe silk kimono which was katazome dyed in the very small repeat pattern called Edo komon because these minuscule patterns were popular in Japan's Edo period. The repeat pattern is that of folding fans.

Family crests in the design of the Chinese bellfower can also be seen as they were used to decorate the kimono before it was taken apart and put back together to create this futon cover.

There is staining and there are holes to this old bedding, illustrated in the attached photos. 

Just gorgeous and with very good age.

Very recommended.