Fireman's hood (hikeshi-zukin) [from a fireman's kit], second half 19th century
Unknown Japaneseexpand_more
Cloth: cotton; sashiko (decorative reinforcement stitching), katazome (stencil resist)expand_more
Gift of Thomas Murray in honor of firemenexpand_more 2019.91.27.3
Not on Viewexpand_more
Firefighters’ uniforms were composed of special, heavily quilted garments made of layered cotton cloth that was dyed with indigo, which conferred a degree of fire-retardance. Before the men headed into a blaze, their coats were soaked with water as a further safety measure; the wet coats weighed upward of 70 pounds.
This is a complete kit for a fireman. It consists of a quilted coat (hikeshi-banten) and hood, heavily padded gloves, and close-fitting trousers. All the pieces are made of indigo-dyed cotton, but the interior of the coat features the same design as the exterior, dyed bright red. The meaning of the single character on the back is unclear, but the background features a repeating stylized pattern of the character moto 元, which can have many meanings.
Details
- Title
- Fireman's hood (hikeshi-zukin) [from a fireman's kit]
- Role
- Maker
- Accession Number
- 2019.91.27.3
- Catalogue Raisonne
- Murray et al. 2018, pl. 56
- Curator Approved
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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