No74

Dear Customers and Frineds
Hello from Japan! This is Kimono Flea Market ICHIROYA's News Letter No 74.Today is very clam Sunday. I (Ichiro) unfolded the vintage futon at the park space, and unsewn the stitches. He(futon) is very very old one, and was stained a lots and has many tears. I got him at a small kimono auction holded in rural district. He was too stains, tears and holes, so all bidders turned away their faces. He was also very large ( because the full futon size! ), there seemed not to be bidder to him. I bid and won him at low price, and carried to my office. But also at my office, all staffs and Yuka turned away their faces. I brought him to my home, and threw into the bathtub. I poured water, and threw lots of abluent to it, and waited one night. Next morning, water became BLACK(!) and smelled badly. I rolled up sleevs of my shirts, and pulled the plug off. After the black water ejected, I poured the water again and pushed him again and again. I repeated this way several times, but water became BLACK again and again, and he was too thick to be squeezed the wate!r out. Finally I gave up, I tried to carry him to veranda to dry. How heavy it was, futon contained full water! I carried it across a living room, with many drops of brown waters on the floor. I hurried to wipe them before Yuka found them. He had been in veranda for a few month. He took a long time to dry, and rains sometimes wetted him again. Yuka complained ' You should get rid of it from veranda soon'. But I said, 'He must include valuable antique cotton insides, please wait a little more. I will unsewn the stitches, and beat out!'. I had been busy, and I couldn't implement my commitments soon. From a month ago, for the facelift of our condominium, we became to leave anything at veranda. I had to bring him into our living room, and he was there for this month. We ate dinner and watched TV besids him. The real life of antique kimono dealer, it is!A few days ago, I went to Horiuchi san's house. She showed me some of her collections. I learned a lots about antique and vintage fabrics again from her. On the way driving hom, suddenly I reminded him, and became to think him lovely. 'As I felt when I got him, he must include vaulable antique fabric inside!' So today I brougt him to our office again, and I did an anatomy operation on him at parking space. He was padded heavily, but his pad wasn't batting. All pads were old cotton fragments, which includes katazome, kasuri, shima cotton fabrics. They are like mille-feuille, and I got lots of various cotton fragments. Fabrics seems mainly from Meiji priod(1868-1912), but there may be valuable one from ending Edo period. I packed the fabrics into 3 bags, and threw into our van. I will ask Horiuchi san about his fabrics at an auction we both attend. What an exciting experience to open vintage futon! Now I only found one beautiful kasuri fabric, and several fantastic katazome fabrics from him, but there may be more. Landlord of our office looked me, but he didn't show any interest to him and me. If we find some valuable pieces, we will let you know the story again! Today we have listed kasuri collection from Horiuchi san. As some customers already know, Horiuchi san is very famous kasuri collector. I asked her to sell some of her large Kurume kasuri collection, which she showed on hear books. But she says she can't, because many people ask her to lend them to their exhibition. But she says she is arranging her collection and stocks, so she can sell small fragments of kasuri collection. Today we have listed some kasuri collection from Horiuchi san. She also showed us 'Vintage Sarasa Fabric Collection Book'. She made it with her huge collection of her, if it sells at her inteneded price, she says she can make more. It's sarasa book is exceptionally beautiful. Please check it.http://www.ichiroya.com/item/search.php?md=1213http://www.ichiroya.com/item/list2.php?number=70259
We also listed rare antique 'shima-cho', antique cotton sample book. We have 4 in stocks, and one is from Horiuchi san. They are very rare, and very interesting to know the antique cotton fabrics.http://www.ichiroya.com/item/search.php?md=1213
Sashiko banten, we have listed today, is also from Horiuchi collection. 'Ryu-ko'(dragon and tiger) is dyed vividly. Please check this rare piece.http://www.ichiroya.com/item/list2.php?number=70254
I have lots to write this week. About the information about old kasuri, which I learned from Horiuchi san, I will write in future mail news and in the discription of the items. Thank you for reading to the end. Tomorrow I will go Toyohashi to attend auction. I will get good items as much as I can!Have a nice winter Sunday!
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