A Pieced Drawstring Bag: Exceptionally Good Design and Execution

late nineteenth, early twentieth century
7 1/2" x 8" x 8", 19 cm x 20 cm x 20 cm

This piece-constructed decorative bag is extraordinary in every way and it seems to be made entirely of Ojiya chijimi, the snow bleached, crepe ramie cloth from Niigata prefecture.

Just looking at its complex design is enough to dazzle the eye, let alone imagine the skill it took to create this cacophonous pattern of clashing colors and patterns.

Each of the pieces used to stitch this bag has been backed with paper before it was stitched together. This is evident when handling the bag, feeling the surface of it and listening to the sound it makes when handled.

The pattern is an oversized geometric one that cunningly wraps around the volume of the bag, the colors of the cloth used to hand stitch this seem randomly assigned.

The bottom shows a wonderful surprise, a pieced design of interlocking triangles, one upward pointing, the other downward pointing, the background behind this geometric image shows kasuri cloth with the image of and iris woven into it.

All of this is simply wonderful.  More wonderful is the condition of this bag which seems not have been used very hard with the exception of a light soiling to the bottom of the bag. Please note the drawstring is not original to the bag however the drawstring is worth a comment: it is twined, recycled ledger paper, quite old.

This is quite a treasure: it is an extremely fancy bag which shows an amazing amount of design and execution skill using precious materials.

Simply remarkable and covetable.

Very recommended.