Antique Japanese Silk Maru Obi Taisho Phoenix Fan Chrysanthemum Pine 13'L

Antique Japanese Maru Obi (丸帯) — Taisho Roman Weave with Phoenix, Folding Fans, Pine & Chrysanthemum

Japan, Taisho period (1912–1926)
156″L × 13″W (396 × 33 cm); approx. 3 lbs

This maru obi is patterned continuously across its full length, matching the "woven maru obi" (織り出し丸帯) designation on its source tag rather than the pattern-at-the-ends layout of a fukuro obi. The ivory ground is filled with open fan-shaped (senmen) medallions holding dense pine boughs and phoenix, interspersed with loose chrysanthemum and peony blossoms — all worked in a muted, tonal palette of olive green, warm rust-brown, soft coral, and touches of navy, considerably quieter than the jewel-tone gosho-doki piece earlier in this batch.

Hōō phoenix birds perch within the fan medallions alongside fine, linear pine needle work, framed by scattered chrysanthemum and peony rendered with graphic precision rather than heavy brocade relief. The fan-and-phoenix pairing is a classic auspicious court motif, here refreshed in the more restrained, painterly palette characteristic of the Taisho Roman aesthetic.

As with the earlier phoenix piece in this group, the source documentation explicitly dates this to the Taisho period — a moment when traditional court and auspicious motifs were being reinterpreted in bolder, more stylized compositions reflecting the era's blend of classical and modern sensibilities.

Form: Maru obi, fully woven pattern throughout (織り出し丸帯), continuous front-to-back patterning
Construction/Decoration: Silk, woven-in pattern; hōō phoenix within fan (senmen) medallions, pine, chrysanthemum, and peony in muted olive, rust, coral, and navy on an ivory ground
Period: Taisho period, Japan (1912–1926)
Dimensions: 156″L × 13″W (396 × 33 cm); approx. 3 lbs
Weight: ~3 lbs
Condition: Expected age-related wear for a vintage silk textile — light soiling, occasional snagged or pulled threads, minor metallic-thread tarnish, and storage fold lines — with no notable tears, holes, or repairs unless otherwise noted.