"Blue Links" Indigo Fabric Panels

This listing is for three single panels of vintage Japanese indigo cotton. A bold piece of Japanese textile history, these three separate indigo cotton panels align to form one continuous, large-scale graphic design. We suspect that it could be a deconstructed hanten or happi coat! Resist-dyed in creamy white against deep indigo, the design features an interlocking chain motif beneath large kanji reading Shimizu, meaning "clear/pure water", but which is also a common Japanese surname, business, and place name. Signs of age are present with fading, stains, small holes, and wear that adds to its wonderfully timeworn character. Traditional Japanese indigo fabrics are prized for their rich, layered shades of blue, which soften and develop distinctive variations with age and use, giving each textile a unique character and history.