No122

Dear Customers & Friends
Hello from Japan! This is Kimono Flea Market ICHIROYA's News Letter No 122.Yesterday I went to Okayama to attend a kimono auction. It took more than three hours to drive to Okayama, and I took by heavy traffic jam on there turn route. I got tired for long drive, but I could enjoy the autumn colour of leaves of mountains along the roads. I didn't think, but now is the most beautiful foliage season, and we must be able to enjoy colored leaves scenery in Kyoto and other famous places. Unfortunately we couldn't get many rare items at the auction. Auction ended earlier than usual, and I went to a museum in Himeji( Shosya Art & Craft Museum) after that auction. Now they exhibit tsutsugaki, titled ' Ai no shosou - Tsutsugaki - Kurashino some'( Aspects of Ai - Tsutsugaki - Dyeing of Ordinarly Lives).Here is the page of that exhibition although it is Japanese.
http://www.city.himeji.hyogo.jp/kougei/04kikaku-tenji/20051015tutu_gaki.html
They exhibit about 70 pieces, and approx half of them are the collection of Horiuchi san. As we wrote in our site and news letters, Horiuchi san is one of the most famous Japanese antique fabric collectors, and she always gives us valuable information and advice to us. We knew she has the best collection of vintage Kurume Kasuri, but we didn't know about her tsutsugaki collection. At the exhibition, almost all impressive pieces are the pieces came from Horiuchi san. Seeing such lots of supreme tsutusgaki piece at a place was my first experience. Tsutsugaki pieces are often offered at auction, but we rarely come across the pieces like Horiuchi san owns. She must have taken a long time to collect these pieces with concentrating only on the supreme and very very rare pieces. I had to catch my breath in my throat again and again in the front of Horiuchi san's piece. For an example, one piece is large futon cover, and it has colorful circle patterns all over it in the beuatiful deep blue color background. That piece looked as if it was the unique picture of the universe!
As many customers know, 'tsutsu' means tube, and 'gaki' means paint. The technique, tsutsugaki, is a rice paste resist technique unique to Japan. Tsutsugaki dyers draw the picture with tube filled with paste. The tube is just like the one used to put cream on a cake. So the most charming point of tsutsugaki is its free and spontaneous touch of the lines. Dyers dips it to the 'ai game'( ai pot) and dry it several times, for getting deep natural ai color. Its methods are very elaborate and took long time, but if the textiles are dyed with natural ai with this elaborate methods, blue color will not be discolored, and but the color will be deeper for long time use. Tsutsugaki is often used for furoshiki, futon cover and so on, so its not-discolored color is important. If indigo are used, its color must be discolored for long time just as jeans will be, and its picture will lost its impression and beauty.
Here is the most famous tsutsugaki artisan 'Nagatasomekoujyo' 's HP. Also at the museum their techniques are shown with TV. Pages are written in Japanese, but you can enjoy the photos of dyeing methods and his works. http://www.izumo.ne.jp/~koujyou/
We also have several fabulous pieces. We think these pieces are valuable, and gives us great fun to look at.
http://www.ichiroya.com/item/list2.php?number=75692http://www.ichiroya.com/item/list2.php?number=70941http://www.ichiroya.com/item/list2.php?number=69198http://www.ichiroya.com/item/list2.php?number=59052
Today thinking about natural ai, I suddenly wanted to wear 'natural ai dyed jeans'. I went to a shop in Osaka Umeda, and check them. I liked the deep natural color, and I decided to pay approx 300USD for one jeans. I wanted to report to our readers how its color and touch change for long time use. But my size was sold, and I couldn't have any. Near in futue we will get 'natural ai dyed' jeans, and will report about it.
* We added charming sakiori rag, tasteful Nagoya obi, haori, kimono and fabric bolts now.
http://www.ichiroya.com/item/search.php?md=1128
We will be very happy if you have time to check our new arrivals.
Thank you very much and have a pleasant new week. dozo yoi issyukano!
Ichiro & Yuka WadaKimono Flea Market "ICHIROYA"http://www.ichiroya.com
e-mail: info@ichiroya.comaddress: Asia-shoji Bldg.301 1841-1 Nishi 1 chome Wakamatsu cho Tondabayashi city Osaka 584-0025 JAPANTEL&FAX ****( international number ) - 81-721-23-5446