Vintage Japanese Kimono Fabrics by Pieces: Japanese Textile Silk Fabric Swatches

7283:1960's Japanese Pongee Silk Ohshima Tsumugi,60 inches Arai-Hari

7283:1960s Ohshima Tsumugi Silk,longView

Rare Japanese Textiles:

1960's Ohshima Tsumugi (Pongee) Silk Fabric
Arai-Hari

Catalog# 7283

Width:14.75 inches / 37.47 cm
Length: 60 inches / 156.42 cm

US$22.00 per piece

Item Details and Description:

Fabric History/Pedigree: 1960'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 .)

This is a special delicate lightweight Ohshima tsumugi silk from Amami Islands, Japan. 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."

Fabric Description Details:

Thin fabric, slightly translucent, is Oshima Tsumugi silk with designs the same on both sides; Background color is a dark brown (hint of burgundy) we characterize as "Hershey Chocolate Brown" color; The warp threads are visible up close in the solid fields where there are no designs; Motif: rather a distinctive combination of large and smaller medallion type flower clusters and various diamond shapes; We're unsure of the meaning of the thin lines with what looks like water ripples(rounded) that alternate along strings, top to bottom at an angle; The other colors of the designs are off-white, light gray and a few instances of dull gold accents (please see closeups);

NOTE: All designs are the result of tiny pixelated lines created in the weaving/dyeing process (please see closeups); selvage on both sides is .25 inch (6.35mm) fabric slightly stiff, some drape.

Suitable 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.