A Tattered and Battered Boro Jacket: Dark Colored Cottons

early to mid twentieth century
29 1/2" x 45", 75 cm x 114.25 cm

This tattered and battered little coat is shown here inside-out in order to display the patches and mending that were applied to the inside area.

The coat itself is hand stitched from cottons, most of which seem to be machine loomed and dyed a black color, but the mending and the patches, like the construction of the jacket itself, is all done by hand.

The coat seems to have been dipped into a weak solution of starch as there is a stiffness to the hand of the cloth. As well, the surface of the jacket we see here is wrinkled and compressed in a way that appears to be ingrained and part of the fabric.

Note the pronounced holes to the back of the piece, shown here in detail photos.

But otherwise this is a really rough and ready little jacket and one that shows the resilient spirit of its owner: it is a beautiful memory of old Japan.