A Cotton Boro Noragi: Stitched and Repaired Work Coat
ca. late nineteenth, early twentieth century
38" x 34", 96.5 cm x 86.25 cm
This boro noragi or work coat made of repurposed, hand loomed and hand dyed cotton is something of classic example of rural noragi.
The quality of the faded, indigo dyed cotton, the hand stitching, the two layers of cloth and the abrasions to the surface of the cloth all add up and make this an archetypal rural Japanese work coat--and a beautiful one, at that.
The symmetrical patching on the proper front of the coat is a really lovely visual addition, as is the play of very muted stripes against small checked cloth.
The proper back of the coat shows a good deal of wear, which can especially be seen in the two, oval shaped areas of wear which expose the indigo dyed lining of the jacket.
Its condition is original and as you can see from the abraded surface, the stitching, mending and fading, this coat has been worn hard.
A really lovely example of a Japanese boro noragi.
Recommended.