long bolster cushion made from vintage uchikake kimono silk in red with white cranes and silver clouds on a white bench

Crane Bolster Pillow in Red Silk with Taupe Velvet

£240.00
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long bolster cushion made from vintage uchikake kimono silk in red with white cranes and silver clouds on a white bench
  • long bolster cushion made from vintage uchikake kimono silk in red with white cranes and silver clouds on a white bench
  • Close up detail of white embroidered crane over red and gold silk base. Long bolster cushion made from vintage Japanese kimono silk.
  • Metallic gold and silver crane on red silk base, detail of Japanese kimono bolster cushion mad with vintage silk.
  • Long red vintage Japanese silk bolster cushion with white cranes, upcycled vintage uchikake kimono pillow.
  • Close-up of textured taupe velvet reverse of the Crane Bolster Pillow.
  • long bolster cushion made from vintage uchikake kimono silk in red with white cranes and silver clouds on a white bench
  • Close up detail of white embroidered crane over red and gold silk base. Long bolster cushion made from vintage Japanese kimono silk.
  • Metallic gold and silver crane on red silk base, detail of Japanese kimono bolster cushion mad with vintage silk.
  • Long red vintage Japanese silk bolster cushion with white cranes, upcycled vintage uchikake kimono pillow.
  • Close-up of textured taupe velvet reverse of the Crane Bolster Pillow.
Crane Bolster Pillow in Red Silk with Taupe Velvet

Crane Bolster Pillow in Red Silk with Taupe Velvet

  • Edition of 2
  • c.1970s Uchikake bridal kimono
  • Diving crane over vermillion stripe silk
£240.00

Shipping calculated at checkout | 30 Day Returns

A diving crane is the hero of this long red silk bolster cushion: wings back, neck extended, dropping through the frame with absolute intention. Behind it, smaller cranes woven in metallic silver, gold and ice blue move like shadows, soaring in unison through pale crystalline clouds.

The ground is vintage vermillion, a fine woven stripe that pulses beneath the metallic threads. This is c.1970s Uchikake silk, cut from a Japanese bridal kimono of the Mid-Shōwa period. The crane (Tsuru) promises a thousand years of good fortune. Here, it arrives at speed. The reverse is taupe crushed velvet, warm and neutral against the drama of the front.
Details
  • Dimensions: 89cm x 30cm / 35" x 12" approx.
  • Vintage Textile: Uchikake kimono silk, vermillion stripe ground with diving crane and metallic clouds
  • Reverse Textile: Taupe crushed velvet
  • Construction: Cotton lined with concealed zip at base for easy pad removal
  • Includes: Cover only. Insert not included
  • Edition: Limited edition of 2
  • Age: Mid-Shōwa period, c.1970s
Returns

If your piece isn’t right, you’re welcome to return it within 30 days of delivery for a refund.

To be eligible, returns should be:

• unused and in original condition

• in original packaging
 where possible
• accompanied by proof of purchase

• sent using a tracked service

To arrange a return, please contact us via our Contact Form with your order number.

For change-of-mind returns, the item cost and standard outbound shipping will be refunded. Return postage is the customer’s responsibility.

If your item arrives faulty or incorrect, all delivery costs will be refunded.

As returns remain your responsibility until received, we recommend using a fully insured tracked service.
Shipping

All pieces are carefully packaged and dispatched from our London studio (UK).
Orders are sent using tracked and insured services.

• Dispatch time: 1–2 business days

• UK delivery: 2–3 business days

• USA & Canada: 5–8 business days

• Australia & New Zealand: 6–8 business days

• Europe & Rest of World: 6–10 business days

Shipping rates are calculated at checkout.

US orders include duties and taxes.

Other international customers may be responsible for local customs charges.
Ethical Production

Each piece is handmade in our UK studio as part of a considered approach to making, using carefully sourced vintage Japanese silks.

• Genuine vintage kimono silks, including kimono, obi and uchikake textiles, dating from the 1930s onwards

• Sourced in Japan for their craftsmanship, character, and history

• Repurposed and reimagined for contemporary interiors

• Limited in number — once gone, it cannot be repeated

Each piece begins a new chapter for a textile that has already lived one life.

Packaging is fully recyclable, with materials chosen to reduce environmental impact wherever possible.
Care

Your vintage silk piece is made from delicate materials and should be handled with care:

• Keep away from direct sunlight to preserve colour

• Reshape gently after use to maintain form

• Store in a cool, dry place when not in use

• Do not machine wash or tumble dry

• Professional cleaning by a specialist is recommended

Made from authentic vintage Japanese silk, each piece may show gentle signs of age. This is part of its character and history.

What does the crane symbol on this piece mean?

Tsuru (鶴)

The crane motif represents longevity and good fortune in traditional Japanese textiles.

Cranes are believed to live for a thousand years and inhabit the land of the immortals.

Pairs of cranes represent a happy marriage and are often found on wedding kimono known as uchikake.
Crane motif on Japanese silk textile with gold woven background (Tsuru)
Cloud motif on woven gold and cream Japanese kimono silk textile (Kumo)

What does the cloud symbol in this piece mean?

Kumo (雲)

The cloud motif symbolises divine authority and auspicious fortune.

In Japanese textile design, clouds are often rendered in simplified, stylised forms, although inspired by earlier more elaborate Chinese designs.

These cloud motifs have been used as decorative elements in backgrounds on woven silks since the Nara period (710-794 AD).

Mid Showa period Japanese textile era, c.1950s–1960s, featured in Kimono Living vintage silk pieces

Mid-Shōwa Period

The Shōwa era spanned 1926 to 1989, its name meaning 'enlightened peace' — a period of extraordinary contrast, from wartime turbulence to postwar renaissance. Many of our textiles date from the heart of this era.

Uchikake: traditional Japanese bridal kimono textile used in Kimono Living silk cushions and throws

The Uchikake

The uchikake (打掛, "to drape over") is the most ceremonial of all Japanese garments, a heavily embroidered outer robe worn by the bride on her wedding day, representing the pinnacle of the silk weaver's art.

This piece is made from an uchikake, carrying with it the beauty and significance of one of Japan's most treasured traditions.

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