Sash for a Firefighter's Suit (Kaji shōzoku) (late 1700s): Art, History and Details

Sash for a Firefighter's Suit (Kaji shōzoku) (late 1700s) is in the Cleveland Museum of Art collection.

The work and its context

The museum's open-access catalogue describes the work:

Wood architecture in densely populated areas made firefighting a frequent occurrence in the Edo period (1615–1868). Jackets made of leather or wool offered firefighters protection against the flames. Wool was imported from Europe. The jacket's triple ring crest in white is of the “three alternating rings” (mitsurin chigai) type framed in a tortoise shell (kikko) motif, and identified the house with which the wearer was affiliated.

Object facts

• Title: Sash for a Firefighter's Suit (Kaji shōzoku)
• Date: late 1700s
• Culture: Japan, Edo period (1615–1868)
• Type: Textile
• Technique: Wool (rasha); applique and silk and gold thread cord
• Collection: Japanese Art
• Department: Japanese Art
• Accession number: 2020.423.c

A detail from the museum

Wool has self-extinguishing properties that protect the wearer from fire.

Collection credit

Gift of John C. Weber

View the collection record

See the museum's photographs and full catalogue entry. Catalogue text is reproduced from the Cleveland Museum of Art's open-access data, with HTML formatting removed. This object and its supplied image are designated CC0.