An antique Japanese Ko Tansu (personal storage chest) made of Kiri (Paulownia) and Sugi (Cryptomeria) woods. All hand forged iron hardware including the Hikute drawer handles. and the Warabite side handles. Constructed using straight dovetail Japanese joinery as well as hardened wooden nails. Full moon lock plates, Atari handle stoppers and drawer front corner hardware complete this beautiful chest...

An antique Japanese Suzuribako (calligraphy writing box) made of Kirinoki (Paulownia) and Suginoki (Cryptomeria) woods. All hand forged iron hardware including the Warabite handles on the lid and drawer front.

This box originally functioned as an essential instrument for storing writing paper, brushes, ink and the inkstone. Whether it was a merchant writing a customer receipt or a professional calligrapher writing a personal letter for a farmer, this box was always ready for duty...

An antique Japanese Cha Tansu (tea chest) made of Sakuranoki (Cherry) and Suginoki (Cryptomeria) woods. The body was constructed using Japanese Unique stylized four leaf clover cut-out design window allows natural light to showcase the interior shelf display. Upper four sliding doors opens to a spacious storage area. Below this to the upper left is a lift-out door behind which is more storage. Four multi-level shelves allowed for prominent viewing of seasonal and cultural decorations...

An antique Japanese Kansai Daiku Tansu (carpenter chest for tools and hardware) made of Hinoki (Cypress) and Sugi (Cryptomeria) woods. 14 drawers of various sizes used to store tools and hardware used by a Japanese wood craftsman. Japanese woodworking techniques used in making this chest include through mortise and tenon joinery and hardened wood nails. Original hand forged iron hardware including the Kakute handles. Originates from the Kansai region of Japan...

An antique Japanese Kururi Tansu (apothecary chest for herbs and medicine) made of Sugi (Cryptomeria) wood and finished in a Negoro lacquer. 30 drawers each with an iron ring pull. It features two side carrying handles and a custom-made raised stand.

Age: Meiji Era (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 24 3/4" Wide by 17 1/4" High by 9 7.8" Deep

An antique Japanese all Kiri (Paulownia) wood Kasane Tansu (stacking chest on chest) with original hand forged iron hardware. Beautiful natural wood grain with a three dimensional texture. Side handles on both sections used for carrying from place to place...

An antique Japanese Choba Tansu (merchant chest) in a rare two section design made of Kiri (Paulownia) wood. All original hand forged iron hardware with full moon style locking plates and Warabite handles. Two sliding doors open to a storage area where merchant books and business records were kept. Recessed side handles on the tops of each section.

Merchant chests provided two important key elements for the store owner...

An antique Japanese Kyoto Mizuya Tansu (kitchen chest) in 2 sections made of Keyaki (Zelkova), Hinoki (Cypress), Kaki (Persimmon) and Sugi (Cryptomeria) woods. All original bronze hardware with burled Keyaki door panels and drawer fronts. Unique and natural thunder bolt-like grain pattern on the Hinoki wood frame. Side horizontal supports add strength and aesthetic beauty to the tansu...

An antique Japanese Ko Tansu (personal storage chest) made of Kiri (Paulownia) and Sugi (Cryptomeria) woods. All original hand forged iron hardware with auspicious Paulownia leaf lock plates and Warabite handles. The original finish was done in a wiped Urushi lacquer technique for both the drawer fronts and the tansu body.

It was used in a wealthy Japanese home to store personal effects, ephemera, writing tools, and other miscellaneous sundries...

Japanese antique choba tansu (merchant's chest) with locking bars and safe box. Made with keyaki (zelkova) wood frame, hinoki (cryptomeria) wood drawer fronts, sugi (cypress) wood top and side panels. The upper portion has three large full-width drawers held into place with a locking bar. The lower portion has two medium sized drawers held in place with another matching locking bar...

Antique Japanese 2-section isho tansu (chest on chest for clothing) made all of kiri (paulownia) wood. The top section has two large drawers and the bottom section has two large drawers and two small drawers on the lower right hand side. Iron hardware includes large round lock plates on the large drawers and matching small round lock plates on the small drawers.

Meiji period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 41 1/2" high x 34" wide x 15 3/4" deep

Antique Japanese 2-section isho tansu (chest on chest for clothing), made all of kiri (paulownia) wood. Top section has two large drawers and the lower section has two large drawers and a safe box in the lower right hand side. The safe is opened by a hinged door to reveal two small interior drawers. Iron hardware with unusual daikon (radish) shaped lock plates. Lovely foliated iron corner bracing and safe door hardware.

Meiji period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 41 1/2" high ...

Antique Japanese choba tansu (merchant's chest) made with all kiri (paulownia) wood on the front and sugi (cryptomeria) wood on the sides and top. The tansu has a full-width drawer on the upper portion above a compartment with sliding panels on the left and two small drawers on the right. The lower portion of the chest has two medium sized drawers on the left and a safe box above a small drawer on the lower right. The safe has a door with heavy iron hardware which opens to two small interior ...

Antique Japanese low Todana tansu with one large drawer and a compartment opened with sliding panels. Mostly made of Sakuranoki (Cherry) wood, the sliders have horizontal slats over Keyaki (Zelkova) wood panels. As well, the side panels of the tansu are also made of Keyaki. The sides and back of the tansu are reinforced with sakura wood bracing. Hardware includes iron Warabite drawer pulls and lock on sliding panels.

Age: Edo Period (1603-1868)

Dimensions: 20" high x 34 3/4"...

An antique Japanese Haribako (sewing box) made of Tochinoki (Horse Chestnut) and Kiri (Paulownia) woods. Rare connected double Pine needle bronze handles representing good luck and longevity with Gumbai shaped hinges on the top. Vertical slot on the right upper back that was originally used to store a textile ruler called Shaku. Under the hinged lid lies a lift-out tray that hides a secret drawer behind.

Traditionally used by a seamstress or a wife to store sewing paraphernalia including...

An antique Japanese Choba Tansu (merchant chest) made of Sakuranoki (Cherry wood), Kuri (Chestnut), Keyaki (Zelkova) and Sugi (Cryptomeria) woods. Constructed using through mortise and tenon Japanese joinery. Horizontal side slats match the sliding door slats. Three drawers and the space behind the doors provide spacious storage.

Originally used by a merchant to keep store records, books, supplies and sometimes inventory, this chest works wells in a contemporary setting as a sideboard...

Antique Japanese wedding kimono Tansu made entirely of Kirinoki (Paulownia) wood. All original hand made heavy gauge iron fittings and thick wood construction for strength and durability including straight dovetail Japanese joinery and hardened wooden nails. Specially commissioned chest for use as part of a bride's dowry to store her formal wedding kimono, her formal after wedding kimono and her informal wedding celebration kimono. The two small bottom drawers were used to store her wedding a...

An antique Japanese Yosegi Kobako (marquetry personal drawer box) from the Hakone region made of various natural colored woods with a Hinoki (Cypress) structure and drawer backs. The expert craftsmanship is quite evident by how the front marquetry design flows seamlessly across all of the drawers. Made with various woods including Keyaki (Zelkova), Kakinoki (Persimmon) and Tochinoki (Horse Chestnut). The box has 5 drawers with Mokko shaped drawer pulls. The interior of each drawer is lacquere...