Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art: Asian: Japanese: Textiles (90)

Large Japanese temple cloth woven with cotton and strips of paper, great for a wall decoration. The dimensions are 107" x 47" (271.8cm x 119.4cm). Many things in Japan were made from paper, just like soy sauce was added in almost all cooking. Textiles were no exception. Some monks in Japan still make their own paper for their clothes. There are few beautiful samurai haori jackets made out of paper that still exist today in textile museums (which we have only seen in photos)...

A powerful drawing of Shoki, a demon queller, is hand painted over two nobori banners (each has two panels sewn together) on a thick and loosely woven cotton. The size of two panels together is huge; approx...

Antique Japanese yogi, thickly woven cotton, trimmed and lined with dark aizome (Japanese blue dye). There is a opening in the center of the liner where the cotton wadding was taken out. Excellent condition (old but new). The accent piece (dyed in Katazome, stencil dye) on the collar and shoulder area were added (remove and wash purpose) and slightly soiled. Late Meiji to early Showa. Dimensions: 63" x 68" L

Very attractive Japanese Yogi (bed comforter) with a pattern of chrysanthemums and scrolling vine, rice paste resist Katazome stencil dye. The cotton is not as thick as the other yogi. Excellent condition, It is an another "tsukurioki" (it had not been used after it was made - t just sit in the storage as a spare bedding for guests. One of the photo shows where the cotton wadding was taken out before the shipment. The seam at the center of the liner was opened...

This is an uchikake robe (outer kimono gown) probably used as Kabuki stage costume. The bottom and the openings of sleeves are thickly padded with cotton stuffing. The design is large paulownia leaves and flowers. The exterior and liner are both thick cotton. This robe is old, and a little soiled but the fabrics still have not lost it’s strength. It is an attractive display piece...

The fabric is thick, silver brocade that appears to be taken from a Japanese woman's old obi from late Edo period. The liner is cotton. During the Edo period (1602-1868), there was a custom that the family of a deceased woman would donate her favorite kimono to the temple; some beautiful temple cloths were created from those wonderful fabrics. The custom was likely to have continued after the period...

This is a Japanese silk obi with a painting of men transporting lumber down the river. It is a scene that became obsolete as new technologies, such as trains, trucks and the creations of dams, developed. It is hand painted on silk with an artist’s signature and seal. We will bring more photos once the obi is flattened from the Nagoya style obi – currently, this obi is being worked on (hand sewn) by a professional.

Japanese silk obi, Nagoya style, dyed with the design of Chinese Empress and court attendants in the bamboo grove. It appears that this was converted to current Nagoya style obi (from kimono?). The design of this obi is unique. The wide and narrow area of this obi has different designs on both sides and all seams appear clean. By taking one side of the seam apart, you have a large fabric to work with (double in size with one seam in the center)...

Thick antique cotton futon fabric, Aizome Japanese indigo dye and the design is drawn in Tsutsugaki paste regist. Color Loss. 49" wide x 61" long.

There is no visible image of God in the Japanese Shinto religion. For this reason, people naturally find the spirit of God in their surroundings. From the ancient times, God was said to dwell in pine trees and as a result, we find many Meiji fukusa today that are decorated with pine trees. Many of them have their roots in Noh play...

This is “kataginu” (shoulder cloth), only the upper part of kamishimo without a trouser. Kami-shimo simply means top and bottom in Japanese. It was a high ranking samurai’s formal attire when they attended official meetings at the Edo castle. It was worn over kosode (kimono with small sleeves) with trousers. The shoulders are arch shaped and this was the style that developed in the late Edo period (1603-1868). Longer trousers (approx...

Japanese antique gift cover, fukusa, with the design of the Seven Gods of Good Fortune (Shichi Fuku Jin), tsuzure-ri tapestry weave with wide borders (1 3/4"). The liner is made of chirimen crepe silk, Meiji period (1868-1912), 26 1/4" W x 29 1/2"L

This is a beautiful fukusa even with obvious stains. It shows the quality and professional workmanship everywhere. This fukusa is woven in tsuzure-ori. With tsuzure-ori, the weaver weaves over the drawing with their finger nails that ar...

Beautiful Kyoto Nishijin silk obi, decorated with flowers, ribbons and mirrors. Gold is genuine and used in two different methods; strips of gilt paper (machine cut) and gold leaf wrapped around the silk threads. Some gold leaf are natually missing from the strips of paper - this did not show up in most photos (see enlargement photo). This obi looks older (clean) than shown in the photos. Circa 1920-1940. Dimensions: 12 3/4" x 170"

This is a large antique fukusa, Japanese gift cover, 34 inches long and 26 inches wide, without including the tassels. The lid of the wooden box (hiro buta) that carried gifts was often placed upside down to display the gifts. The length of the Fukusa may have been adjusted for the tray.

The design of this Fukusa is based on the old Japanese folk tale, Yoro(Yohro) Waterfall. The waterfall was known as the Fountain of Youth and instead of water falling, Sake wine was falling. Whoever d...

This is an antique fukusa, Japanese gift cover with cranes. A pair of crane is a symbol of longevity and harmony. The embroideries on this fukusa are particularly beautiful. One small hole in the front (smaller than the one in the back) did not show in the photos.

24 inches x 26 1/2 inches
Sioze silk front and back.
Circa: Early Taisho period (1912-1926)
Occasion: Wedding or related

At the time of gift giving, the fukusa gift cover was used only with limited pe...

Old Kyoto Nishijin obi. This obi is one of the 5 favorite obis from my collection - we have over 200 obis. It is almost impossible to find a obi like this today. The owner of the store in Tokyo where this obi was purchased once said that single good obi was coming out from one household when they go out knocking on the doors in the old town. The store had gone through changes since and no longer carries antique textiles. The designs of this obi are ancient Chinese mirrors, which covers f...

This type of fukusa is a cover placed over a gift at the time of a gift-giving ceremony such as "Yui-noh" which is prior to a wedding. It has a peaceful, ordinary outside view seen through an elegant blind (shown at the top) and a silk room divider (left side) which are both remainders of the Heian Court (794-1160). Cranes and plums represent longevity, harmony and women’s beauty along with their strength. Combined with a gold bag and mallet of Dai-koku symbolizing wealth, there is no...

Breathtakingly beautiful Japanese silk wedding kimono gown, Meiji/Taisho period, lined with the contrasting color red, very soft silk. It has a beautiful, rich texture woven in a mixture of flat, diagonal and shusu satin ori (weave). Under the sun, you can see the diagonal lines of woven gold threads crossing inside (photo #5). Gowns made in the early Meiji period are not only shorter but the colors are darker with a combination of earth tones (Shibui) comparing to brighter modern gowns. ...