Antique KatagamI Stencil - Higaki

Katagami stencils  are traditionally used to stencil a rice paste  resist on various katazome (stencil dye) cotton  or silk textiles before dyeing.   They're cut by hand from layers of sturdy handmade washi paper which has been treated with persimmon tannin to prevent  rotting. The tannin give it the distinctive brown colour that you also see in kakishibui dyed textiles used,  for example, to make sakabukuro bag strainers used in traditional sake making. 

This katagami measures 31.7cm x 41.5cm and is in excellent condition with only one tiny damaged section (see photo) . The design is a variation of a woven cypress fence (higaki) pattern.  Late 19th - early 20th century. 

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