Vintage & Antique Japanese Fabrics by Piece: Other Type Fabrics

7611: 1980's Japanese Pongee Silk Ohshima Tsumugi, 62 inches Arai-Hari

Rare Japanese Textiles:

1980's Ohshima Tsumugi (Pongee) Silk Fabric
Arai-Hari

Modernistic, Iridescent Striation(weft)

Catalog# 7611

Width:14.75 inches / 37.47 cm
Length: 62 inches / 157.48 cm

US$16.00 per piece
Plus Shipping

Item Details and Description:

Fabric History/Pedigree: 1980's fabric from kimono pieces from an Arai Hari (special Japanese kimono cleaner -- see info on Arai-Hari HERE from John Marshall, expert on Japanese textiles .)

Description: This is a lightweight, slightly translucent Ohshima tsumugi silk from Amami Islands, Japan; The Fabric is off- pale blue-white background filled with tiny less -than 1/16th inch (.0625)/1.59mm pixels throughout the fabric; ;These pixel elements are arranged in a symmetrical diagonal mini-mesh pattern, also with .25 inch/6.35mm wide lateral bands; what sets this fabric apart is its use of weft threads in various reds and blues (lighter pastel hues), and with slight iridescence; 1/4 inch / 6.35mm selvage on each side; some sheen; Please view our closeups.

Cultural Background Information:

Details on this part of Japan's special pongee silk-making process can be found on the National Foundation for Promoting the National Costume of Japan website, which explains the natural plant dyes and mud etc. used in making Ohshima Tsumugi, quoted here:

Characteristics: A plain woven silk fabric with pre-dyed scoured threads both for warp and weft. The color is refined and calm and the fabric is soft and difficult to wrinkle. Threads are dyed with plant dyes such as "Techiki" (Raphilolepis umbellata) and indigo (Persicaria tinctoria) with a technique, peculiar only to "Oshima Tsumugi," called "Ori Jime." As a variety, an additional treatment is made to the dyed thread by dipping them in muddy water. It is "Doro(mud) Zome(dyeing)." There are several kinds of "Oshima Tsumugi":"Doro Oshima," "Ai(indigo) Oshima," "Doro Ai Oshima," "Iro(color) Oshima" and "Natsu(summer) Oshima."

Recommended for making scarf/accessories.

Colors: Please use our text color descriptions to complement your sense of the fabric due to differences in contrast and color on different devices.

Condition: EXCELLENT.

Popular with our antique Japanese textile aficionados and collectors.