An Edo Period Deer Leather Bag: Smoked and Stencil Resisted

aearly to mid nineteenth century
17" x 8", 43 cm x 20 cm

This is a bag that is made of deerskin that has been stencil resisted: the resist method used was not to dye the bag but to expose the deerskin to smoke.

The soft deerskin used in the laborious hand-manufacture of this elegant accessory may have been imported, it may not be Japanese in origin.

Some say the deerskin comes from China or Southeast Asia while it seems a more accepted notion that the deerskin used in Japan was Indian. The exotic origin of this rare material only compounds the importance of this as a specialized, covetable object which was no doubt owned by a person of means.

As some of you may be familiar there are well-known examples of boldly patterned leather fireman's coats.  In addition to making garments from leather, accessories were also made, such as this bag which bears the kanji of the family name "Ue" within a thickly drawn circle.

The back of the bag shows a curious pocket at its bottom and the top flap of the bag is beautifully hand stitched.

The exact purpose of the bag is unknown but bags that are made in these proportions were often used to contain tools or long strands of stacked coins.New@Sri

This is a wonderful thing, almost 200 years old.

Very recommended.