A Wide Boro Mat: Patched Indigo Dyed Cotton

mid twentieth century
76 1/2" x 32 1/2", 194.25 cm x 82.5 cm

This is an interesting, large and wide, indigo dyed cotton boro textile.

What makes it interesting is that it is unusually wide; as the Japanese loom width is usually 13" or 33 cm, the extra-size of this cloth means that it was machine woven--and its original purpose has been lost to the ages.

The cloth is dyed a dark, beautiful, sapphire-like indigo color and the surface is studded with really nice patches and mending.  The patches that appear to be a brownish color in photographs are, in actual fact, a grey/black color.  On the surface there are ten patches in all.

Note as well the lovely stretch of light fading to the proper, right hand side of the cloth.

This wide and long cloth was starched in Japan, so its texture is a bit papery and stiff.

Still, it is a very good-looking, quite large piece of indigo dyed cotton boro with good color and texture.