No94

Dear Customers and Friends
Hello from Japan! This is Kimono Flea Market ICHIROYA's News Letter No.94.At the elevator hall of the building where our office is, swallows made four nests recently. I am eager to know there are chicks in them, but I couldn't confirm yet. Maybethey are still eggs now, and in several days or so we will be able to see the chicks chattering for food. The owner of the building puts small mats just under the nests, to avoid to be soiled by parent birds. Swallow is the one of the popular motif of kimono. They make their nests at high-traffic areas, often make them above the entrance of our houses ( they are said that they use the human to keep their natural enemies like crows away ) and very familiar to us. And they always come with spring, and leave with coming of autumn. So swallow is one of the most familiar things which let us know the change of seasons.http://tuba.maxs.jp/bird/bird_tsubame.htmIn your home town, do swallows make their nests at your houses?
Today we have an item, which we would like you to see. Today's news letter is the invitation to ICHIROYA's Museum.
It is an antique shoubou-banten, which is a very best item of that kind. I borrowed it for some reason, and took lots of detailed photos. As some customers already know, Shoubou banten is the jacket for the firemen, made of very thick multiple cotton, and inside has stunning picture. Firemen-- real `Hero' of the time wore the jacket with the right side (which has only simple design) out while working, and after the fire fighting they wore it inside out to show their brave picture. If you are not familiar with the particular item as shoubou banten, please read the description here.http://www.ichiroya.com/item/list2.php?number=64046
That piece is owned by a friend. He got it ten years ago in Nagoya, and keep it with rejecting the offers to be sold. He says this piece is a very very best piece of shoubou banten, and never sell under the price he determined. If you see the detail photos, you imediately come to know what he wants to say.Its picture is from kabuki play 'Yoshitsune no Senbon Zakura', and has fabulous pictures in the both front and back sides. Design is artistic, and colors remain vividly. Frankly said, we have never seen such supreme piece before.Please enjoy the detailed photos enough! It's the ICHIROYA's virtual meuseum! http://www.ichiroya.com/item/list2.php?number=76138
If we could offer this item around 15000USD - 18000USD, we would buy it from him, and list our site. But his price is way higher than that range, and it is higher than the price of Toyota Hybrid Car Prius.But its a very good chance to know how the best item of this kind is. Usually this kind of shoubou banten is discolored. And when we come across with vivid colors, we must doubt it may be very contemporary one. Because this type of banten is also made now, and at auctions sellers sometimes offer it without any explanations.( I have seen a scene that a dealer won a contemporary one with very high price with mistaking the age estimate! )
We are very happy if you could enjoy the photos!
We will be adding graceful kurotomesode, interesting shibori haori karinui, haori packs and botls in about 5 hours.We hope you have some time to check our new arrivals. Domo arigato gozaimasu for reading our newsletter.
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