HAORI from the Taisho Period (1920 ish?)

I was able to win the bidding for this haori from Japan on e-bay. It is quite lovely with the contrast of the indigo and yellow and white of the silk. I am not quite sure what the yellow dye is. I am hoping that I can get Rowland to look at it sometime this summer and give me his valued opinion. The roses remind me of those of Charles Rennie Mackintosh as can be seen on the USA storefront for his designs. The lines of the roses are created with ori nui stitching--the cloth is folded on the line and running stitches through both layers of the cloth are placed close to the folded edge. Ori Nui creates a pattern that resembles a row of teeth. The roses centers are, I believe, ne-maki or thread resisted rings. In ne-maki, a point of fabric is drawn up on a special tool and a ring of thread is knotted over the point of fabric. The leaves of the roses are created by maki-age where the outlines are stitched, drawn up tight and then the cloth inside the lines is pleated and wrapped with thread. Kumo or spider web shibori was used to create the yellow shapes. The center is drawn up and the cloth is carefully pleated around that point and then wrapped with thread.






I really love this piece and I am proud to be able to have it in my collection.