A Thickly Layered Indigo Cotton Tube: Boro and Patches

late nineteenth century
29 1/2" x 14", 75 cm x 35.5 cm

It is unclear why this length of cloth is fashioned as a "tube," meaning: it is stitched closed on one of the short ends.  It is possible that this may have been the sleeve of a yogi or sleeping kimono, or it could have been a diaper, but the cloth is too thick to have functioned as a baby's diaper.

This cotton cloth is very heavily layered and shows very nice, old, heavy indigo dyed cottons--the repairs and mending to the piece are subtle yet strong as can be seen on the accompanying photos.

A very "authentic" piece of boro cloth, meaning one with good age and good quality cloth, and one that calls up a hint of life in old Japan.

Really lovely.