Tooth Pick Container (Koge Zuikin)

The design of this brocade is adapted from one of the Shoso-in treasures known as the "Koge Bachiru Shaku" meaning a red-dyed and carved ivory ruler. It is an ornamental measure corresponding in length to a regular "shaku" or about 12 inches. After the ivory has been dyed red, its design is carved by means of a carving technique called "hane-hori" or "bachiru", and then tinged with yellow and green to make it colorful. Its full length is divided by lines and a divided part is equivalent to a "sun" or about 1.19 inch. Each part represents a "bird and animal" pattern and a "plant and floral" pattern, and on the back, without dividing lines, are represented patterns which were popular at that time. We reproduced these patterns with a weaving technique of a warp-patterned brocade with the addition of an exquisite color scheme.