Three Safflower Dyed Cotton Fragments: Slightly Worn and Faded Benibana

early twentieth century
long piece: 8" x 34 1/2", 20 cm x 87.5 cm
short pieces approximately: 8 1/2" x 14 1/2", 21.5 cm x 37 cm

These three pieces are stitched fragments take from a lining from a girl's kimono: they consist of hand spun, hand woven cotton that is hand stitched together and dyed in benibana or safflower dye.

Safflower dye is light fugitive and not terribly stable but it produces many tones and shades of color from a pale yellow to this fuschia-like pink.

The color here is faded as is clearly visible from looking at the detail photos. The side shown here is the side with the richer color as the other side is slightly faded. There is ingrained dirt from wear and a few faint stains, also shown.

Still this is a very good-sized example of old hand spun cotton dyed in safflower--it is a good study piece for those who are interested in natural dyeing.

In used condition.