Kimono Flea Market ICHIROYA's News Letter No578

　At this time of the year, we see `Best Ten' ranking of many things.

I would like to show the BEST TEN items I have obtained for our website this year. Among them, everything has been sold except two items. 

The first one is a big embroidered antique tapestry. Everything is filled with elaborate emproideries. Japanese embroidery work of this era (Meiji period) have been a popular export item. It must have been made for export but somehow it came from one Japanese family. Embroidery as industry is having hard time with the wage, and embroidery work from China is now famous but even in China this industry is having hard time.

 

The second one is nagoya obi with battleship desin. As we often mention, during war time, war motif is seen with women's kimono. It is hard to imagine how did women feel wearing such kimono or obi, sending their loved ones to war.　
　

This is the most KAWAII meisen kimono which is considered to be from either Taisho or early Showa. The modern girls at this era comepeted wearing such Kawaii design kimono. This might be the origin of Japanese KAWAII concept!

 

http://www.ichiroya.com/item/list2/261532/

 The above kimono is on sale- this is the example of `fusion' of Japanese and western taste.  They tried to collaborate the too different culture but I think it is not yet to become sophisticated fusion. It seems like they put the two pieces from different culture and just put together!  However the flowing design of whimsical flowers and the colorful sails are enchanting!

We are in the midst of winter but here is the kimono with the people having fun dancing under the blooming cherryblossoms at night.  The colors are fascinating.

 Lining of men's haori very often have impressive and brave design but among those haori, this is breathtaking. The vivid fighting battleship is woven. The guy (the owoner of the haori) must have been so proud to wear the haori.

This is the fukusa, a gift cover for special occasion. This fukusa is from Meiji period. 

The huge clam (very auspicious) and Palace of Dragon King are finely embroidered. The details are just great but also this bold design is exceptional.

 

This is a futon cover from Meiji period. Japane started to open eyes to the whole world, and started to dream modern thing such as steam boat. This has been woven by double ikat, Kurume Kasuri.
　

This is a juban with pattern sample bolt. They made sample bolts to show customers the patterns, and this juban has been made using such sample roll fabric. You can see the scenery of skiing, skull and alphabet-people's dream towards foreign countries.

　

 Boys' kimono often have war motif. This is a miyamairi(first shrine visit just like christining) kimono. The dyed pattern of  the battleship is quite real.

The boys' miyamairi often has samurai leaders design. They also are motif from `fighting'(war), so they are originally from same idea.
　

http://www.ichiroya.com/item/list2/281271/

　This is susohiki worn by Geiko. This kimono has most elaborate work both woven and dyed patterns. The fabulous design of weepeing cherry and dove and also the lantern is adding a wonderful effect.

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We hope you enjoyed to see the rare items I have found and added to our website this year. It is getting harder and harder to meet such rare teims as the number of antique kimono are decreasing, but I will be trying to obtain rare items from now on too!

We also are planning to open `Virtual Kimono Museum' in 2015.