A Superb Child's Zanshi-ori Vest: Indigo Dyed Cotton

ca. late nineteenth century
22" x 20", 56 cm x 51 cm

This indigo dyed cotton child's han juban or half under kimono is a beauty.

The color story in the erratic plaid pattern is beautiful, the patches contrast beautifully with the base cloth, and the entire garment is beautifully tailored.

The quality of the plaid is unusual: have a look at the horizontal stripes and see that they are not regular.  This is due to the fact that leftover threads were used to feed the weft of this cotton cloth: fabric woven from leftover threads is usually referred to as zanshi-ori in Japan.  Here at Sri it is one of our favorite kinds of Japanese country cloth.

But let's return to the color: the softness and warmth of the blues is just fantastic--as is the inclusion of a kind of ochre yarn, seen in photos, which punctuates the plaid and adds additional richness to the cloth's coloration. 

The patches of dark colored plaid cloth lie flat and are expertly stitched, as is the entirety of the garment.

Just a super piece, simply beautiful, and very recommended.