A Beautifully Worn Indigo Dyed Sakiori Sodenashi: Rag Woven Work Vest

$345.00 USD

early twentieth century
26 1/2" x 12 1/4", 67 cm x 30.5 cm

This beautifully faded and very worn vest is a rural work garment, called a sodenashi which literally means "without sleeves." 

It is a sakiori garment which means that it is woven from torn strips of discarded cotton cloth, mostly indigo-dyed. In the case of this faded and worn sodenashi, the warp seems to be of cotton (sometimes the warp is of a bast fiber).

A sodenashi is a work vest that was intended to be worn primarily by those working in mountains, carrying wood or charcoal, or by farmers.

This particular one shows an especially good patina from wear: the cotton weft is slightly abraded and the color is most definitely faded. In fact, if you look at the proper, right, top, front of the sodenashi you will see evidence of how the garment was worn while the owner was working--there is a long swoosh of unfaded indigo.

The inside cotton reinforcement is abraded and torn as is one of the tabs which connects the front panel to the back panel on the sides of the vest.

For its fading, patina and wear, this is a wonderful old sodenashi: and it is better yet for its indigo color, which is the preferred one when collecting this kind of old sakiori material.

Recommended.

 

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