Ine (Rice plants) or Inazuka pattern (Bundle of rice plants) Katagmi stencil

This katagami features a pattern representing the hope that autumn will bring a bumper harvest. It is said that rice plants can house a Shinto God, and act as a charm against evil. In Japan, people decorate with rice plants and offer rice dumplings to honour the moon for the grain harvest in September. This stencil bears the merchant stamp of Kataya Tokubei, (形屋徳衛兵) a katagami merchant from Asakusa in the Edo region of Japan. Research suggests this dates from between 1840 and 1867, the period known as the ‘golden age’ of katagami making in Japan. The signature of the dyer who bought the stencil from Katya Tokubei, is also visible, probably as a reference for the next purchase. This stencil is made using a push carving technique (tsukibori). Tsukibori is a method whereby the craftsperson cuts through the layers of the stencil paper by pushing the tip of the stencilling knife away from him or herself. This is one of around 400 Japanese 'katagami' stencils which are part of the Silver Studio Collection. The stencils were produced in Japan as a way of applying patterns to fabric, mainly kimonos. The katagami collected by the Silver Studio were used by the Studio's designers as reference material via which to produce their own Japanese-inspired patterns.