A Length of Indigo Dyed Cotton Zanshi ori: Leftover Yarn

early twentieth century
64" x 13 3/4", 162.5 cm x 34.9 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 producing an irregular horizontal 'striping'; if home threads are used, knotted slubs can often be seen--the back of this piece shows a fair number of these knotted slubs.

This piece is textbook zanshi ori: a super variegated weft with a fixed warp, the colors being nice and tight within a narrow spectrum of blues and neutrals.

The length is slightly starched and there is a small, hole and a mending patch, both pictured on the third detail photo here.

This is very handsome and recommended for someone who likes zanshi ori or for someone wanting to collect or study it.