Antique Shimacho Sample Book

Shimacho (lit. 'stripe book') sample books were often  kept by home weavers as examples of their own  stripes and checks  - when weaving at home was the norm.  Or sometimes they were used as commercial sample books.  This shimacho is a slightly  more eclectic mix  and includes  a few random samples of more complex weaving, katazome resist dyeing,  and printing. It has been part of someone's private collection.  A  first impression might be that these  indigo cotton fabrics were created by and for the rural poor, but the fineness of most of the patterns suggests that they were woven for  a wealthier and perhaps urban clientele.   

 The book measures 13.5 cm x 18cm  and has 15 double-sided pages.  Most of the  tiny swatches are  firmly in place but the pages are barely held together (see last photos) and the front page has detached completely.  This dates from around the middle of the 19th century.  

Price includes GST and postage within Australia