Description

Antique Japanese hikeshi banten, fireman’s coat. Made of cotton and stitched over every inch using a sashiko quilting technique. Fires were common in Japanese urban areas due to the dense population as well as construction material (primarily wood and paper). Fire brigades were made up of samurai class (buke hikeshi) as well as common class (machi hikeshi) and their primary goal in containing a fire was to knock out the surrounding buildings so the fire had no more fuel. These special coats were worn after being drenched in water as a way to protect the wearer from flaming embers. The large character on the back on the coat as well as the overall pattern are made using a paste resist dying technique (tsutsugaki) and states the specific name of the fire brigade.

Dimensions: 32 1/2″ high x 48 3/4″ wide