"Happy New Year" Katagami Stencil

Vintage Japanese katagami stencil.

Although it seems somewhat stylized, we think the imagery on this stencil refers to kadomatsu, a New Year's decoration hung in pairs near the doorway. Here's what wikipedia has to say about it:

The central portion of the kadomatsu is formed from three large bamboo shoots...set at different heights and represent heaven, humanity, and earth. Kadomatsu are placed in pairs on either side of the gate, representing male and female.

We suspect that this stencil is perhaps from the 1950's or older because of the extra hand-work used to stabilize the blank areas - not a screen, but dozens of thin silk threads were sewn between the edges of the design to prevent tearing or folding.

Katagami are the stencils used to create layers of design on traditional Japanese kimono. Each one is cut by hand, either with a free-hand knife or a sharp and tiny punch tool. They are made from one or two sheets of heavy paper and then covered with persimmon juice to add strength and moisture resistance. (For delicate designs, two sheets of paper were stacked and cut together, then a thin silk screen was placed between them before fusing the papers together with persimmon juice.) Nowadays, more durable plastic versions are used, but these older paper stencils are often still usable in addition to being a work of art.

See video below for how these stencils are made.