Storage bag (shifuku) for tea-ceremony utensil

Brown silk background with a light blue and white floral motif. This bag is in very poor condition. The silk is heavily abraded. Much of the brown silk is missing and the light blue silk backing is showing through. The silk exterior is heavily shredded and torn causing much of the white interior batting to be exposed. The exterior of the bag is also actively shattering and small fibers are being shed because of this. Half of the seam is detached from the bottom circular panel. The interior bright green lining is exposed because of this. The interior lining appears to be in very stable condition. There is a gold silk rope drawstring.

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Historical period(s)
Edo period or Meiji era, 19th century
Medium
Silk, gold threads, white cotton batting, paper panel
Dimensions
H x W (flat): 14 x 18 cm (5 1/2 x 7 1/16 in)
Geography
Japan
Credit Line
Freer Gallery of Art Study Collection, Smithsonian Institution
Collection
Freer Study Collection
Accession Number
FSC-T-26
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Costume and Textile
Type

Bag

Keywords
Edo period (1615 - 1868), flower, Japan, Meiji era (1868 - 1912), tea
Provenance

?-1919
Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), method of acquisition unknown [1]

From 1920
Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [2]

Notes:
[1] This bag once held a ceramic owned by Charles Lang Freer but was separated from that ceramic at an unknown time for an unknown reason, most likely after Freer's collection was brought to Washington, DC (see note 2).

[2] The original deed of Charles Lang Freer's gift was signed in 1906. The collection was received in 1920, upon the completion of the Freer Gallery of Art.

Research Completed on March 23, 2022

Previous Owner(s) and Custodian(s)

Charles Lang Freer 1854-1919

Description

Brown silk background with a light blue and white floral motif. This bag is in very poor condition. The silk is heavily abraded. Much of the brown silk is missing and the light blue silk backing is showing through. The silk exterior is heavily shredded and torn causing much of the white interior batting to be exposed. The exterior of the bag is also actively shattering and small fibers are being shed because of this. Half of the seam is detached from the bottom circular panel. The interior bright green lining is exposed because of this. The interior lining appears to be in very stable condition. There is a gold silk rope drawstring.

Collection Area(s)
Japanese Art
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
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