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Japanese Sashiko Quilted Fireman’s Jacket

An unusual Japanese fireman’s jacket constructed of densely layered indigo-dyed cotton with extensive hand-worked sashiko stitching. The lower portion is quilted in a distinctive diamond pattern, while the upper section is densely stitched in the traditional sashiko technique. The back is boldly decorated with a large red resist-dyed crest bearing the characters 清水 (Kiyomizu), with additional brigade insignia to the front. The reversible interior displays an all-over geometric pattern.

Provenance: The Estate of John Adair Jr. (1942–2025), founder and proprietor of Kurofune Antiques in Tokyo (est. 1978), a world-renowned destination for Japanese basketry, prints, and furniture, featured in The New York Times, The New Yorker, and The Wall Street Journal.