A Beautifully Colored Zanshi ori Kimono: Splendid Leftover Threads

late nineteenth century
shoulder to hem x sleeve tip to sleeve tip: 52 1/2" x 48", 133.5 cm x 122 cm

Zanshi ori is cloth that is woven from threads either leftover from home production of yarn making, or from broken threads that were purchased from local commercial weavers. 

Usually the weft is fed with these random threads while generally the warp is regulated; if home threads are used, knotted slubs can often be seen.

This is a marvelously woven kimono where leftover yarns are used in decidedly decorative way.

The jewel colored weft yarns are set dramatically against one another in narrow, horizontal bands, creating a kind of scintillating visual effect. The deepness of tone produced by this color banding is moody and beautifully restrained, much in keeping with traditional Japanese kimono used every day by ordinary people. 

There are very few, isolated threadbare areas of cloth which are shown in the detail photos provided here and these in no way detract from the overall appreciation of this still very-usable quality of this old, hand woven kimono.

A wonderful thing for its beauty and its traditional weaving.

Recommended.