A silk, woven, patterned lampas. A ground of irregular weave where 2, double, lines of 6 end satin alternate with 2, double, lines of complicated twill (3.1.1.1). The pattern is created using lance effects of the supplementary coloured wefts. The design is of tree branches, birds (some wearing hats, some holding small purse like motifs) above a fence with foliage beneath it. The pattern is bound on the front by the binding warp in a plain weave over ½ of the [double] warp ends. The fragment has the base edge and one side of selvedge. On the reverse Japanese characters are written onto a strip of the fabric using pink paint.
Warp
Ratio 2 (doubles):1
1) ground
silk, x-ply, S twist, double
yellow
app. 92 ends cm
2) binding
silk, 1 ply, no evidence of twist
cream
Weft
Ratio 1:1 (all supplementary)
1) ground
silk, x-ply, sight S twist, double
yellow
app. 48 picks cm
2) supplementary lance
a) silk, x-ply, no evidence of twist
light blue, white
b) silk, x-ply, no evidence of twist, double and Z twisted together, some slub, maroon
c) gilded paper - metallic (gold alloy?) paper strips (lined one side only)