A Pair of Unused Tabi: Starched and Undyed

early twentieth century
as shown: 5 1/2" x 9 1/2", 14 cm x 24 cm

This is a pair of unused, undyed, sashiko stitched cotton tabi which are the traditional, Japanese split-toe footwear.

This set is starched and the pair is stitched together, flat, back-to-back, as it were.

The pair seems to have come directly from a tabi seller or a tabi shop and each of the two tabi is hand stitched.

Presumably because they are starched, and probably the starch is rice-derived, there are a few subtle trails which were eaten by an insect, very hard to see but visible here on the attached detail photos.

A curious pair of old tabi and something that can still be worn.