7786: 1950s Japan Meisen Silk 62in.Pc Deadstock, Checkerboard,Modernistic

1930s-1950s Japanese Textiles:

Deadstock Japanese Kimono Meisen Silk Fabric Piece
Distinctive Modernistic Checkerboard Grid
w/Abstract and Geometric Elements

Catalog #: 7786

Width: 13.75 inches / 34.92 cm
Length: 62 inches / 157.48 cm

US$18.00 per piece
Plus Shipping

Item Details and Description

Fabric History/Pedigree: 1950s or earlier silk fabric pieces from a deadstock roll found with other similar old fabrics.

Fabric Description: Meisen silk, lightweight summer weave, slightly translucent light-peach-colored background with motif being a checkerboard arrangement as background, large geometric figures as foreground: checkerboard elements are 2 inches/6.4cm X 3 inches/7.62cm; The blocks are filled with darker then lighter lines (lending the checkerboard idea); also, there are hexagons and some oblique geometric figures(foreground), they also have designs within these figures of dark diamond shapes; main colors of designs are shades of dark brown, rusty-burgundy, light mustard, dark red, and lavender; The lines within the blocks are all either straight parallels or parallel in cursive style; there are also white bands looking like paint brush strokes, 2 inches/5.08cm wide; this design has the intentionally fuzzy edges to all figures & lines; designs same on both sides; minimal sheen; softer and smoother than most of our other 1930s-1950s meisen silks.(Please see close-ups).

NOTE: We've never seen this degree of 'Westernized' design in this period's meisen silk kimono motifs, see commentary below.
COMMENTARY:

To our eye, this is another example of a highly modernistic, Western-influence sort of kimono fabric design seen in the Fifties; Such innovative designs break from traditional/classic Japanese art designs/themes, yet still incorporate some classic Japanese aesthetics; this kind of creativity was big after World War II (after 1945), since Japanese artists and kimono fabric designers felt liberated from their oppression in Japan during the war, and they experimented with many creative looks - like this one, somehow keeping a Japanese look but rendered with strong influences from Western art -Impressionism, Abstracts - This is just our opinion, Yoko).
Colors: Please NOTE that colors and contrast differ on each device, so please use our text descriptions to complement your sense of the fabric.
Condition: Excellent.
Recommended for making scarf/accessories.

Background Information on Meisen Kimonos:

Meisen is defined literally in our Kenkyuusha dictionary as "...common silk stuff"; meisen fabrics (or garments made from them) are currently called 'meisen'; Meisen kimono were made similarly to Kasuri (ikat), though meisen usually have very colorful patterns with distinct -- often more modern -- motifs and a slight sheen; 1950s meisen have intentionally fuzzy, almost Impressionistic look and often larger designs; Kasuri/ikat, of course, is mostly indigo blue and some white with black. To learn more about kasuri click here.

To see pictures of meisen silk vintage kimonos from Google, touch HERE.

Other Cultural Notes: The best discussion we've found of Meisen silk fabric was on an old blog post by Japundit, excerpted here*:

"...Young women have rediscovered(Japan Times) the kimono, and you can see them out in Harajuku on the Sunday fashion parade. There's even a term for these girls -- not surprisingly they are called "kimono girls." There are even some nice books documenting the trend which you can check out at J-List and are definitely worth having if you are at all into fashion.

"The meisen kimono in particular has become very popular. These kimono were made in the first half of the twentieth century, and were characterized by a glossy sheen, and brilliant patterns. There is often a sort of blurry quality to the silks...."

[*original article has been pulled]

Top