A Length of Old Katazome Cloth: Wonderful Home Spun Yarns

mid nineteenth century
16 3/4" x 12 3/4", 42.5 cm x 32.5 cm

This soft and textured length of katazome dyed hand spun, hand woven cotton is undoubtedly from the mid nineteenth century. This assessment is based on the quality of cotton and the type of pattern that was stencil resist dyed on the cloth.

More than likely it was taken from a han juban or a half under kimono and it shows an elaborate pattern of counterweights, floral motifs and scrolling arabesques. The indigo dyed background is rich in its warm blue color and the orangey highlights are dyed with an iron oxide-derived pigment dye called bengara in Japan.

This fragment evokes the Edo period when it was made and its richness of design and detail is something marvelous to behold.

It is a wonderful, small length of old cloth.