A site for sore eyes!
Written: Sep 09 '01
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The Bottom Line
Even if you don't intend buying anything, this site offers interesting and unusual fabrics to look at and enjoy.
Of course you may end up ordering something!
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| Full Review |
I am lucky to live just a few miles from the biggest Japanese antique warehouse in Europe. OK, i'll admit, the competition is not great in Europe (having never seen anywhere else like it), but this place is just fantastic, with its antique chests, trunks, stairs, kimonos, fabrics and prints.
It is a fairly regular sunday afternnon activity for my wife and I to stroll hand in hand, drooling at the furniture, and marvelling at the delicate designs of the fabric.
Sadly, apart from a heady moment during a half price relocation sale (where we purchased a 1890 set of drawers, nominally as part of our "retirement fund"), we have never purchased anything, due to the relative expense of these items. However, it has never stopped us from looking. This brings me to my discovery of "Yoko Trading".
In my pre Epinions days, (when I had more carefree surfing time), I located Yoko Trading, and again have been encouraging my illecit habit of viewing Japanese antiques from the comfort of my own home (although sadly, this site does not sell furniture).
Yoko Lewis is an American who trades from America, but is based in Japan. She has been in business since 1989, and now sells her wares over the internet.
Available for purchase is a mix of old and new - each item is catelogued, and gives a detailed description, to aviod disapointment and conflict when the order arrives. Items are sold on a first come, first serve basis.
Given that their description of what is "fair quality", may differ to the customers perception, a very reasonable refund offer is available - you can return any item within 72 hours (postmarked time), and as long as the item arrives in the same condition it was sent, a refund will be forwrded within 24 hours.
Yoko Trading offers the following items:
Kimono's - antique and new, ceremonial, wedding, and "everyday" (although with the spread of Western culture since 1945, perhaps "everyday" is not the word). A standard cotton adult size Kimono will cost upwards of $80. It depends on your taste, but there is everthing from the quite plain, to the downright glitzy on offer here. I used to have a stylised image of brassy bright silk peacocks, as being about the most subtle that Japanese fabrics have to offer, but this site dispells that myth. A budget of say $250 would allow you quite a choice.
Japanese Fabrics - antique, vintage, and new. Sadly the Kimono fabrics are very narrow - some being only 15 inches wide, so have quite limited uses (but are stunningly vibrant and complex in their design). 13 yards of a very nice (almost 50's in design) fabric was on offer for $75.
Fabric packages - Yoko Trading also offer a mixed bag, of damaged Kimono's at $10 a pound. Minimum order is 20 lb, and the package mainly comprise of complete but damaged Kimonos. These are ideal for quilt makers, costume designers, festival organisers, and to make bags, purses, and kitchen items.
Prints - a wide range of antique wood black prints are on offer, one that caught my eye, a girl beneath a tree, in blue and green, a mid 1800's print 19 inch by 14 inch, comes in at $225.
Antique and modern Interior Decor items - this section covers a wide range of knick knacks, such as ceramcs, baskets, dolls & napkins (a set of fantastic modern napkins of cats and stars, were priced at $130 for four!). Tapistries are also offered.
Pictures are clear and detailed, as are the descriptions. Navigation is easy (the site is not huge), but you would have to do a bit of searching, if your intention to purchase were serious.
For those of us in foreign parts (outside the US), there is a handy curreny converter, and a foreign language option (French, Spanish & half a dozen or so others).
For a nice touch, thery confirm whether they are up to date in mailing orders (they were sending out items on the day they were received, when I last checked in), and also confirm which fairs they will be attending.
All in all, this site is easy to get around, sells interesting and unusual items, and I recommend that you go and see what it offers!
Recommended:
Yes
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About the Author
Member: Chris
Location: Yorkshire, England
Reviews written: 493
Trusted by: 373 members
About Me: Lead writer at http://www.westcoast-usa-roadtrip.com/
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