Sled-hauling vest (sorihiki banten)

Date19th century

Label TextIntricate stitching is a practical aid for the farmer who wore this vest to haul sleds filled with fertilizer to the fields. The diagonal band with white cotton thread in diamond shape patterns reinforces the strength of the vest and protectively pads the wearer’s skin as they move the sled. The body is embellished with indigo-dyed cotton thread from Shonai in Japan’s northwestern region, creating a texture that would naturally fade and wear down over time.

Object number89.127

Exhibition HistorySeattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, Beyond The Tanabata Bridge: A Textile Journey In Japan (Washington, D.C., Textile Museum, Sept. 10, 1993 - Feb. 27, 1994; Birmingham, Alabama, Birmingham Museum of Art, Apr. 17 - June 26, 1994; Dallas, Texas, Dallas Museum of Art, Mar. 12 - May 28, 1995). Seattle, Washington, Seattle Asian Art Museum, Mood Indigo: Textiles from Around the World, Apr. 9 - Oct. 9, 2016.Published ReferencesRathbun, William Jay, Seattle Art Museum, "Beyond The Tanabata Bridge: Traditional Japanese Textiles", 1993 Seattle, Washington. pg. 117

Credit LineGift of the Virginia and Bagley Wright Collection

Dimensions28 1/2 x 13 3/8 in. (72.39 x 33.97 cm)

MediumQuilted (sashiko) cotton cloth with trimmed with cotton cloth with double ikat (kasuri), natural indigo dye