{"product_id":"a-large-shimacho-or-album-of-home-weaving-nineteenth-century","title":"A Large Shimacho or Album of Home Weaving: Nineteenth Century","description":"\u003cp\u003elate nineteenth century\u003cbr\u003ewhen closed: 10\" x 6\" x 1 1\/2\", 25.5 cm x 15 cm x 4 cm\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eShimacho\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003emeans, literally, \"stripe album.\" The small, cotton swatches contained within it are usually striped cotton, or some variation on striped cotton.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eshimacho\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eis said to be an album of home weaving that a bride takes from her family home when she's married, leaves her family and begins her life in the home of her new husband's family. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMost likely this is in part true, however it is more likely that a\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eshimacho\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ehas a broader beginning and a less prosaic life.  It is not unthinkable that a sliver of a neighbor's weaving found its way into a\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eshimacho\u003c\/em\u003e, or some such thing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOften the striped cloth in a\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eshimacho\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eshows narrow stripes or small checks in dark colors. The reason for this is that in old Japan there were sumptuary laws which dictated how a person could dress and how they should conduct other aspects of their lives.  Most of the population was only allowed to wear dark, somber colors and cloth showing very little pattern, if any.  Therefore,\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eshimacho\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eusually reflect this societal dictate by showing scraps of hand woven cotton in dark colors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis one is large in size and shows 33 page sides or page faces of cloth samples that occupy about half that many full pages.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe samples are dark in tone and there is scant, if any, evidence of any chemical dyes. Perhaps on one of the hundreds of samples contained in this book is a flash of synthetic red thread, but it could also be madder. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are three pages of hand writing in what would have been the proper back of the book, and on one of these pages the year \"Meiji 3\" or around 1871, is noted.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll the samples are glued onto the pages of a recycled, mulberry paper book.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA wonderful thing to own. A treasure trove.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVery recommended.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sri","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45573274894522,"sku":null,"price":675.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0070\/9422\/files\/Shimacho555556f.jpg?v=1770755581","url":"https:\/\/www.srithreads.com\/products\/a-large-shimacho-or-album-of-home-weaving-nineteenth-century","provider":"Sri","version":"1.0","type":"link"}