An Overdyed Nobori Bata: Unusual Boro

ca. early twentieth century
41" x 22", 104 cm x 56 cm

This is a really lovely and slightly unusual boro cloth.  It is lovely for its patching, it good, hand woven cottons and its rich indigo color--and it is slightly unusual as it is sew from a recycled nobori bata, a kind of flag or standard which is commonly hoisted and flown around the time of the festival of Boys Day, or Children's Day as it is now known.

The part which is taken from the nobori bata is on the proper top, left of the piece: there you will see a partial, stenciled kamon or family crest, in this case it seems to be a variant on the myoga or the "ginger" flower.

The boro cloth is hand sewn from two pieces of cotton and it shows three patches that are beautifully arranged on the surface.