This is a very rare 'yuage', towel for baby.
Yuage is made in San'in district for celebrating the birth and hoping the fortune of the baby.
So the auspicious crane, tortoise and 'shou-chiku-bai'(pine tree, bamboo and ume blossom) motifs are dyed with
tsutsugaki technique.
Its picture is wonderful!
Textile is medium thick and soft cotton. It seemed to be hand spun/hand woven in the early Meiji period(1868-1912).
And its deep
ai color had to be dyed with pure natural ai.
It has some flaws as photos show, but as a whole it is in very good condition.
*Approx background color - deep natural ai
Softness ( Exceptionally Soft, □ Soft, Medium, Comparatively Stiff, Stiff )
photo:suh