Beautiful art work of Tosa Mitsutoki (?-1819) embroidered with a theme from Noh play, "Takasago" on antique fukusa, a Japanese gift cover. The signature, seal and other characters are embroidered. To find a signature on fukusa from this period (late Edo) is very rare, in fact, I had never seen one. The characters (at the bottom left side) read "e-dokoro azukari" which is the title for the head of the Imperial Painting Bureau. The characters in the next column translate to Tosa Sakin Shoge... Click for details
Old Japanese fukusa gift cover, turtles embroidered with gold wrapped threads on soft blue satin silk (old shusu), padded and lined with red crepe silk, Meiji period (1868-1912). Dimensions: 23" wide x 25" long
Japanese uchikake (traditional wedding gown in kimono shape), embroidered flying cranes, thick red satin, new condition. 53" (sleeve to sleeve) x 73" (6'1") long
The size of each ornamental tassel: (large one in center) 17" W x 21" L, cord length 13" Long from top of ornament. (small one)11 1/2" W x 17" L, cord length 34" from top of ornament. Japanese Shu(red) silk made cord and tassel ornament which were used in imperial palace or shrine or temple. The set of 3 pcs. very well made. Center cord are made with hard materian in the center. The condition of ornament excellent. Slight color changed from age. Dating from Meiji to Taisho, 1910-20's. Very inter... Click for details
The size of each ornamental tassel: 11 1/2" W x 17" L, cord length 34" from top of ornament. Japanese Shu(red) silk made cord and tassel ornament which were used in imperial palace or shrine or temple. very well made. The condition of ornament excellent. One side slight color changed from age. Dating from Meiji to Taisho, 1910-20's. We also have 3 pcs set on another site.
Shibori, an incredibly intricate Japanese textile art, was used to create the mon (family crest) on one side and good fortune character on the other side of this late Meiji era fukusa. The designs were formed by tightly tying off with thread thousands of individual tiny sections on plain white silk. The tied off sections covered the surface everywhere except the outlines of the character and crest, so that when the fabric was dyed green and the binding threads removed, each tiny section was puck... Click for details
An amazing Japanese Uchikake(wedding kimono gown) covered with Sagara embroidery front and back, new condition. This is an elegant gown. The colors are not as strong as shown in the photos. Some flowers and "oshidori" birds (known as a pair of love birds), and stylized clouds are traced/enclosed with gold wrapped threads with couching stitches. The other gold is woven into the background satin; a gradual shading of a brownish red color on the edges and orange in the middle. Both colors ar... Click for details
Elegant Japanese uchikake (traditional wedding gown) sewn in the style of the twelve layered court attire (jyuni-hitoe) from the the Heian court (794-1160). People’s longing to capture the beautiful life of the aristocrats happened over 1000 years ago but never seems to end. Here on this red background, the classic design of the ox-cart in a pine forest is beautifully woven in gold. Twelve layers could even have gone up to 15 or less. The ladies in the Court were able to show their taste b... Click for details
Japanese antique fukusa, a gift cover embroidered with "The Old Couple of Takasago" on wool (rasha, felt like), padded and lined with orange crepe silk, Meiji period (1868-1912).
The story of the old couple, Jo and Uba came from the Noh play, Takasago written during the Muromachi period (1336-1573) by Zeami. Jo and Uba were spirits who resided in an old pine tree which was two trees that grew together over the year... Click for details