{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O12783"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O12783/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AV7168/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AV7168/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AV7168","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O12783","accessionNumber":"FE.107-1982","objectType":"Jacket","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This jacket would have been worn by a firefighter in Japan. It is made from several layers of thick cotton quilted together using a technique known as 'sashiko'. Before tackling a blaze a fireman would be drenched in water to protect him from the flames, the quilting of the jacket allowing for maximum absorption. Wearing this heavy garment the fireman would attack the blaze, using a long pole to pull down buildings to prevent the fire from spreading. The design of the jacket provided more than just physical protection. The motif of a dragon, a magical beast who brought storms when it descended from the heavens, served to wrap the fireman in divine protection. The jacket is reversible, and during a fire the plain side would be revealed. When the fire had been defeated - and on festival days - the dynamic image would be revealed.","physicalDescription":"This firefighter's jacket (hikeshi-banten) is made of several layers of indigo blue cotton quilted together with vertical stitching in double blue cotton thread (sashiko). The top part of the coat, back and front, bears the design of a dragon among clouds, created using a freehand paste-resist technique (tsutsugaki).  The lower half of the coat has a large geometric design of vertical and horizontal bands of grey resisted against the blue background. The coat is cut in the usual Japanese style with a centre back seam, no shoulder seams, and a long collar band that extends to the hem. The cuffs and hem are bound with blue cotton.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"cotton (textile)","id":"AAT14067"},{"text":"indigo","id":"AAT13055"},{"text":"cotton thread","id":"x34841"}],"techniques":[{"text":"resist dyeing","id":"AAT53053"},{"text":"quilting","id":"AAT53656"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Cotton, with freehand paste-resist decoration (tsutsugaki), and quilted in cotton stitches (sashiko)","categories":[{"text":"Men's clothes","id":"THES49043"},{"text":"Textiles","id":"THES48885"},{"text":"Clothing","id":"THES48975"}],"styles":[{"text":"Edo","id":"AAT106643"},{"text":"Meiji","id":"AAT18567"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"EAS","id":"THES48596"},"images":["2006AV7168"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"010","id":"THES311855"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Jacket","id":"THES398689"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Japan","id":"x29399"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1850-1900","earliest":"1850-01-01","latest":"1900-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"FE.107A-1982","id":"O18904"},"association":"Set"}],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"95","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"122","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"across sleeves","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Purchased with FE.107A-1982. Registered File number 1982/1839.","historicalContext":"In the course of fighting a fire, the fireman would have belted the coat and closed his hood flaps (see FE.107A-1982). He would then have been hosed down with water to protect him from the flames.\r\n\r\nFor a similar coat plus breeches and gloves see Hauge, Takako & Hauge, Victor, <u>Folk Traditions in Japanese Art</u>, Tokyo/New York: Kodansha, 1978 pages 162 and 163.","briefDescription":"Firefighter's jacket, quilted cotton with resist-dyed decoration, Japan, 1850-1900.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Bicknell, Julian, <u>Hiroshige in Tokyo: The Floating World of Edo</u>, San Francisco: Pomegranate Artbooks, 1994, page 45"},{"reference":{"text":"Earle, J. (ed.), Japanese Art and Design: The Toshiba Gallery Guide, London: V&A Publications, 1986.","id":"AUTH406373"},"details":"page 175","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"Jackson, Anna, Japanese Country Textiles, London: V&A Publications, 1997.","id":"AUTH406377"},"details":"page 62, fig. 38","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Verity Wilson, 'Country textiles from Japan and the Ryukyu Islands in the Victoria and Albert Museum', <u>Orientations</u>, July 1983, page 28, figs 1 & 2"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"cloud","id":"x35718"},{"text":"dragons","id":"x30096"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["FE.107-1982"],"accessionNumberNum":"107","accessionNumberPrefix":"FE","accessionYear":1982,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-04-28","recordCreationDate":"1999-12-15","availableToBook":false}}