A Fragment of Complex Old Katazome Cotton: Splendid Pattern on Hand Spun Cotton

late nineteenth century
19 1/2" x 13", 49.5 cm x 33 cm

This is a marvelous little piece of quite old katazome dyed cotton. It certainly dates to the nineteenth century and could very well have been made in the middle of that era. The cotton yarns are beautifully hand spun and the cloth, of course, is hand woven.

The pattern is complex and beautiful. It shows a fantasy arrangement of floating paulownia flowers rendered in a greyish and black tones which are set against a starry background of soft clouds and stylized chrysanthemums. The indigo color is beautifully clear.

At the bottom, center of this piece there is a white, blank spot that indicates this fragment was the end of the bolt: it was this space that some form of identification was written about the cloth which would identify it to the broker and/or the customer who commissioned it.

This is a splendid little length of cloth in good, used condition and it shows a super delightful, lighthearted pattern which is expertly conceived and executed.