boro noragi, Japan, late Meiji (circa 1900), cm 102x121. This is an handsome noragi (work coat) made of recycled indigo dyed cottons; in other words it is a ‘boro’ jacket that was definitively worn for work. The magic and beauty of this noragi reside in the amazing mending to this coat. The exterior part of coat’s body is made of rustic hand loomed, indigo cottons, richly patched and mended in layers via ‘sashiko’ stitching to provide extra strength against the wear of burden that was being carried. The mending surprises on the inside of the coat, though, add a layer of beauty, with subtle and beautiful interior patching. More than that, notice how the mender extended the sashiko stitching through the mending patches in order to create the illusion of continuity! Quite remarkable. The hand of the jacket is heavy and wonderful. An humble and lovely item.