Cloth: cotton; sashiko (decorative reinforcement stitching), katazome (stencil resist)expand_more
The John R. Van Derlip Fund and the Mary Griggs Burke Endowment Fund established by the Mary Livingston Griggs and Mary Griggs Burke Foundation; purchase from the Thomas Murray Collectionexpand_more 2019.20.124.1
Firefighters’ coats were not only practical; they were a sign of pride. When worn during processions and other celebrations in town, they would have been turned inside out to reveal the brighter and more detailed designs on the interior. This coat was patterned with a variety of auspicious symbols through stencil-resist dye. The symbols include fox spirits and Hotei (a Buddhist deity), both likely intended to offer luck and protection to the wearer during his dangerous encounters with the flames.
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