Lot 268

TWO LATE 19TH TO EARLY 20TH CENTURY JAPANESE WORK VESTS

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TWO LATE 19TH TO EARLY 20TH CENTURY JAPANESE WORK VESTS

Estimate: $600 - $900

Starting Bid: $300

(0 Bids)

by Soulis Auctions
June 27, 2026 11:30 AM CDT
Live Auction
529 West Lone Jack-Lee’s Summit Rd
Lone Jack, MO, US 64070

A very similar indigo dyed and sashiko stitched example in the Metropolitan Museum of Art is described as follows: Sleeveless Work Jacket for Sledge Pulling (Sorihiki Sodenashi), Japan, late 19th-early 20th century. On the Shonai plain of Yamagata prefecture in the northern part of the main island of Honshu, an area known for producing high-quality rice, farmers used sledges to haul fertilizer to the fields. Vests of this kind were developed specifically for pulling sledge: farmers' wives reinforced the portion of the vest that came in direct contact with the sledge band with fine sashiko embroidery. As with the present example, The reinforced bands.have a stitching pattern that appears to be purely geometric but is known as kaki no hana (persimmon flower) because it resembles the concentric arrangement of the four sepals and four petals of the persimmon blossom.

Measures 37 tall x 14.25 across shoulders and 37 tall x 16 inches across shoulder.

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  • Provenance: The estate of John Adair Jr. (1942-2025), founder and proprietor of Kurofune Antiques in Tokyo (est. 1978), a world-renowned destination for Japanese basketry, prints and furniture featured in The New York Times, The New Yorker, and The Wall Street Journal.
  • Dimensions: Measures 37 tall x 14.25 across shoulders and 37 tall x 16 inches across shoulder.
  • Medium: Asian
  • Condition: Very good condition, noting the expected signs of age and use. No major damage or repair.

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $49 $5
$50 $199 $10
$200 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $200
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $99,999 $2,000
$100,000 + $10,000