The packages arrived today! One of them contained this kimono. It's purple and old, I love it! Ichiro san labeled her as vintage and pre WWII; when I saw her in real live I was sure, she's old and pretty. The yuzen is really delicate and fine.
It's a three season kimono. I see maple leaves and chrysanthemums for fall, lots of ume (plum-blossom) for late winter and take (bamboo), wisteria and daisies for spring. I see cranes for celebration, tachibana, paulownia, phoenix, there are so many patterns! All of them are enclosed in what I think are clouds, I am not sure for what season clouds are, I thought spring. The fabric is rinzu with woven chrysanthemum pattern for fall.
I am always a little puzzled by these vintage kimono with many seasons reflected in the pattern, because I always thought it was a fairly new invention. Inventions to help women get more wear from one kimono. Most women don’t buy that many kimono these days so it must be hard to reflect the season perfectly, these combined pattern kimono help with that problem.
Something else that occurred to me what could be the case… Since it has been an iro tomesode (the two crest in front are colored so now it only has three crests) I think it might have been made for new years celebration... who knows. Winter in kimono language is very short it’s considered part of spring or autumn, so that could be an explanation for the three season pattern as well…
Oh she's so pretty, *sigh* I'll have to wait for fall and color weather to wear her. I'll see if I can get her on the doll and look in my tansu for an obi that would suite her...
Here is a link to what I think the best book on kimono:
Kimono: Fashioning Culture
1 comment:
She is absolutely beautiful! What a lovely purchase!
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