An Old Komebukuro or Rice Bag: Fantastic Cotton Fragments
late nineteenth century
9" x 8" x 8", 23 cm x 20.5 cm x 20.5 cm
This kind of piece-constructed, drawstring bag is often referred to as a komebukuro.
Komebukuro are bags that were used to bring token offerings of uncooked rice or beans to a temple or shrine festival, the piecing and patching often being thought-out and planned, for festive effect.
This is a very good, old komebukuro which has been hand stitched from wonderful, old hand loomed cottons.
The drawstring bag is hand sewn from about 14 pieces of hand loomed Japanese cottons, an assortment of rich stripes in deep tones prevails. The cotton drawstring seems original to the bag and could very well be dyed in safflower or benibana.
Note the "X" stitched onto the bottom of the bag, presumably for reinforcement.
A marvelous bag, it is one that shows a really lovely and good range of hand loomed cottons--it is an object that beautifully recalls the spirit of old Japan.
Really beautiful, and recommended.
