This elegant silk kyodai (mirror) cover, dating to the early to mid-Meiji period (1868–1900), was designed to protect a traditional vanity mirror while serving as a refined decorative piece. Measuring 17 inches wide by 37 inches high (43 cm x 94 cm), the cover features a vibrant red silk ground framed by an ivory border.
The central motif is a stately crane, symbol of a thousand years of life, standing amidst bamboo and a winding stream. The bird is rendered through delicate yuzen-dyeing, with its feathers enhanced by fine white and grey embroidery highlights. Above the crane sits a large, fully embroidered Gosechi no Kiri (Paulownia) family crest, a symbol traditionally associated with the Imperial family and high government officials, representing virtue and merit. Despite two small red stains on the ivory border, the textile remains in very good condition.