A Really Good Boro Noragi: Vertical Patching

ca. late nineteenth, early twentieth century
32" x 48", 81 cm x 122 cm

This is a very handsome indigo dyed cotton boro noragi or work coat which shows wonderful reuse of cotton cloth and a fabulous array of patches, about 24 in all.   The base cotton is a really handsome display of very narrow stripes; it seems the hand woven cotton is created of hand spun fibers.

Interesting is the arrangement of the long, vertically placed patches on the back of the coat and the overall piecing together of smaller fragments of striped cotton to create a full coat, which can be most noticeably seen on the sleeves.

As well, pay attention to the lovely cotton patch on the proper, right back of the coat: this kind of basket weave cotton is called sankuzushi and is one of the favorite 19th century cottons here at Sri.

This is a really good looking coat which seems entirely fabricated from and patched with old cottons, most of which seem to be from the mid to late nineteenth century.

A beautiful treasure from old Japan.