A Length of Beautifully Hand Spun Cotton Katazome: Old Pattern

mid to late nineteenth century 26 3/4" x 13 1/4", 68 cm x 33.5 cm This beautifully realized, old piece of katazome dyed cotton is made with hand spun, hand woven yarns which yield a desirable and beautiful texture. The bold, traditional pattern of interlocking hexagons is interesting from the symbolic viewpoint. Hexagons, in the language of Japanese symbolic shorthand are a stand-in for tortoise shell: tortoises live a long life so this pattern conveys a wish for longevity. The elaborate, heavy design is punctuated by orange details that are stylized chrysanthemums. The cloth is darkened by time. It is hard to describe the reasons we know this cloth to belong to an old era--probably just a bit after mid nineteenth century--but clues can be found in the quality of the cotton and the type of design imprinted onto this homespun cloth. Gorgeous.