vintage wood gears from silk industry - industrial display stand for rustic decor

Love Japanese Style Like  We Do

Add a touch of history and rustic charm to your home with these wonderful handcrafted wooden gears, salvaged from the rich tradition of Japan's silk industry. Perfect for those who appreciate the beauty of industrial antiques, these cogs will transform any space into a timeless display.

These gears were once part of a Zakuri, a wooden hand-operated silk reel used to wind raw silk from silkworms into delicate threads. Made with skillful precision, the hand-carved gears were essential to the operation of these machines, which were produced in large numbers during the Edo period (1603-1867). The rise of cottage industry silk production in Japan led to the widespread use of these wooden wonders.

Now retired from their original purpose, these old cogs serve as stunning display stands for your favorite ornaments, vases, or decor pieces. Their rustic elegance and rich history make them a must-have for collectors, enthusiasts of industrial decor, and anyone who loves unique, culturally rich artifacts. The gears are in good vintage  condition.

Whether you're drawn to the intricate craftsmanship or the fascinating history behind these pieces, these gears are a beautiful reminder of Japan’s silk-making heritage. Bring a piece of Japanese mingei folk craft into your home and celebrate the past with this charming, functional work of art.

- large measures 20 cm (7.9”) in diameter x 1 cm (0.4”) tall.
- small measures  5 cm (2”) in diameter x 1 cm (0.4”) tall.
- weighs 170 gm.

(listing for 2 wood gears)

SHIPPING INFORMATION
- please read our shipping notes in shipping policy.
- we use recycle packaging and wrap for safety, rather than appearance.

ABOUT OUR VINTAGE, ANTIQUE AND OTHER ITEMS
We list pieces we feel are worthy of display. There may be scratches, dents, fading and signs of wear and tear. We try to explain the condition of each item exactly, but may miss something.

Information regarding the item and it’s age is obtained from dealers and our personal research. We do our best to give you the correct information but please be aware that we cannot guarantee this information.

Please message us prior to purchase with any questions you may have about our products.

SILK INDUSTRY
Silk production was a widespread cottage industry in Japan throughout the Edo period and many traditional Japanese farmhouses were designed with special attic rooms for raising and harvesting silkworms. With the advent of the Meiji-era, silk production became industrialized. The Tomioka Silk Mill in Gunma was opened, enabling mass production of raw silk. Silk was a large export commodity with the export volume becoming the largest in 1909. 

Female workers in silk reeling plants, silk weaving and other textile factories and sheds formed a large and vital part of the Meiji industrial labor force. In 1882, textile plants employed about three-quarters of all factory employees in Japan. In 1909 female workers, mostly in textiles, made up 62 percent of the Japanese factory labor force. This pattern continued for many years and as late as 1930 the majority of Japanese factory workers were women.

Factory conditions in Japan were awful, much like those during the Industrial Revolution in the West. Girls were forced to work long hours in dangerous conditions in factories and dormitories surrounded by fences.

Sericulture (the raising of silk worms) in Japan was originally a side line business for women. In modern times it became a major industry, supporting the households that produced cocoons for silk production, which still remained women’s work. 

The silk worm farmers  job was to breed silk worms,  harvest their cocoons and then ship them off to the silk factory. Their livelihoods depended on this business, but silkworms were very difficult to raise. They were vulnerable to heat, cold, humidity and frost. They ate mulberry leaves which could be anilated by thunder storms and hail and silk worms also attracted rats. The job was risky, so to ease their anxiety farmers turned to the deity of sericulture, praying for a safe and abundant harvest.

Kinugasa Myojin was worshipped as a silk god from the Edo era. She holds cocoons and mulberry leaves in her right and left hands and rests on  a stand with a carving of a horse, as the shape of a  bent silkworm was thought to resemble a horse shoe. The silk goddess, a woman, as most workers in the industry were women, was carved into stone statues, drawn on amulets, ema and hanging scrolls. A picture of Kinugasa Myojin was sold at New Year and put on  the kamidana (god shelf) in the silkworm room, being believed to invite a good harvest.