A rare antique Sakata Hangai (captain's business transactions chest) made of Keyaki Burl (Zelkova) and Kirinoki (Paulownia) woods. All original Urushi lacquer and hand forged iron hardware including the Hirute style handles. It feature a top drawer and a lift out front security door with lock and key. Behind the door are 5 drawers of varying sizes. In particular is the center bottom drawer that purposely exterior lacquered since it received the most use...

Antique Japanese Kimono Bo Tansu from the Iwayado area of Northern Japan. Constructed of quarter sawn Toneriko (Tamo Ash) wood with striking grain and a translucent lacquer finish. The frame is made of Sugi (Cryptomeria) wood with an opaque wiped lacquer finish. Hardware is hand made all of iron and includes Warabite shaped drawer pulls with unusual raised Pine and Peach back plates...

A Very rare example of an antique Japanese Kuruma Tansu (wheeled chest) made of Keyaki burl (Zelkova), Kuri burl (Chestnut) and Sugi (Cryptomeria) woods. All original iron hardware and translucent Urushi lacquer finish. Sliding doors hides a large storage space with a small drawer tucked away. Below are three side by side drawers for additional storage. Side slats provided strength and durability to the chest during moves while providing a Japanese visual design element...

A rare antique Japanese Sakata Choba Tansu (merchant chest) made of Keyaki (Zelkova) wood. All original hand forged iron hardware including the Kakute style handles and the Sakata lock plates. Two side by side drawers with a pair of sliding doors below that hides 3 drawers to the right and a merchant books and records storage space to the left. Secret hiding space behind the lower right drawer accessible by way of the left drawer cavity...

A rare and unusual Japanese cho bako ("cho" meaning small and "bako" meaning box). Made of Keyaki (elm) hardwood with its original lacquer finish. The upper region of the piece holds a pair of narrow sliding door panels, with a center locking pin to hold them securely shut, and vertical slats of branches...

A pair of antique Japanese folding keyaki doors with iron mounts. The door is constructed with mortise and tenon joints. The panels are divided into 7 parts framed with carved decoration and hinged with iron mounts. The carved decoration is finely painted with polychrome mineral pigment with gold gilt accents. The subject matter of the temple doors is a scrolling lotus motif and 8 phoenixes.
The phoenix represents power sent from the heavens to the Empress...

A very rare antique Japanese Funa Tansu (captain's ship chest) made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Kirinoki (Paulownia) woods with a Urushi lacquer finish. All original hand made iron fittings with strapping over the top, sides and back of the chest. Unusual bottom hinged door design where the right door opens to two drawers behind and the left pho hinged door slides across revealing a small drawer and another pho drawer. This pho drawer is actually a cover that hides a Kirinoki wood pull out box...

A rare antique Japanese kuruma tansu (wheeled chest) originally used for storage. Made out of keyaki (elm) wood with hand forged iron hardware in very good original condition. Large sliding panels open to reveal an open shelf on the right side with a hidden storage area under the shelf. The left hand side has an open shelf with 4 drawers tucked underneath. Symmetrical uniform wooden horizontal bracing on the sides and back of tansu. Gorgeous original finish and patina...

An incredible large antique Japanese merchant Todana Tansu (storage chest with doors and drawers) in 2 sections made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Sugi (Cryptomeria) woods. Originally used in a Japanese store to stock and display wares and supplies as well as provide a beautiful functional furniture accent for the merchant. Original hand made iron locks that were used to secure the contents when the store was closed.

Constructed using mortise and tenon joinery as well as floating wood panels w...

An antique Japanese single section Choba Tansu (merchant chest) made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Kiri (Paulownia) woods. All original hand forged iron hardware including the Hirute handles and natural Urushi lacquer finish. Sliding main doors hide 6 drawers of varying sizes and a shelf where merchant books and records were kept. Three side by side drawers below the doors were used to keep valuables and store inventory. With 6 keys.

Age: Edo Era (1800-1850)

Dimensions: 34 1/2" Wide b...

A rare antique Japanese Kuruma Tansu (wheeled chest) made of Keyaki (Zelkova) wood. All original hand forged iron hardware including the Warabite handles and bottom rope pull rings. Horizontal wood slats on all four sides provide strength and age old beauty. Two large sliding doors open to a spacious storage area with a storage shelf. Below are two side by side drawers for additional organization and storage needs. Constructed using Japanese double and single through mortise and tenon joine...

A rare antique Japanese Kuruma Tansu (wheeled chest) made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Kirinoki (Paulownia) woods. All original including the finish and hand made iron fittings. Unique all drawer design. Iron rope rings on each corner to help roll this chest from place to place. Mortise and tenon joinery and hardened wood nails used in its construction. Sides and back horizontal ribs for added strength and durability.

Age: Edo Period (1603-1868).

Dimensions: 43" Wide x 40" High x ...

A very rare antique Japanese Choba Biraki Safe Tansu (merchant safety chest with hinged doors) made of old growth Keyaki (Zelkova) and Kiri (Paulownia) woods. All original hand forged iron hardware including the main drawer lock plate of Pine trees with matching corners of monkeys reaching for peaches, the hexagonal hinged door lock representing the owner's family crest and Furui (old) Kakute handles. Hinged doors open to 7 drawers of varying sizes. The front of the bottom right drawer has an ...

An antique Japanese Choba Tansu (merchant chest) made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Aka Matsu (Red Pine) woods. Beautiful original hand forged iron hardware and Urushi lacquer finish. Two full width drawers and sliding doors with horizontal slats that hide three small drawers on the right and a business books and records storage area on the left. Upper drawer features a lucky treasure bag lock plate with a stylized Mt Fuji lock plate below.

All sides feature horizontal slates for strength ...

Rare an unusual antique Japanese Kuruma Tansu (Wheeled Chest) made of Kurinoki (Chestnut) and Suginoki (Cryptomeria) woods. Strength and durability provided by wood structural slats on all sides as well as the top. Split level shelf behind the sliding front doors with two small storage drawers along the front bottom. Both the finish and the hand made iron fittings are original to the chest.

Age: Mid Edo Period (1603-1868)

Dimensions: 31 1/2" Wide x 27 1/2" High x 17" Deep

Wood and lacquer lectern (kendai) with a drawer at the foot. Takamaki-e decoration representing an eagle on a rocky promontory, surrounded by vegetation. Head down and wings half unfolded, it is about to fly away, perhaps to hunt its prey.

The eagle is considered as the king of birds. Its tail feathers are said to be the best feathers for an arrow. It is said that these were given to the imperial court and to the shrine of Ise (Mie prefecture), one of the most sacred places in Shint...

An antique Japanese Funa Tansu (ship chest) made of Kirinoki (Paulownia) wood. All original hand made iron hardware including the Kakute front drawer handles and the Warabite side carrying handles. Construction includes straight dovetail joinery with hardened wooden nails. Lock plates include parallel vertical bars that double as decorative as well as strong security connectors preventing easy removal from the drawer fronts. There are two small drawers behind the hinged door and behind the lo...

An antique Japanese 2 section Kaidan (step chest) made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Hinoki (Cypress) woods. All original iron hardware including the Hikute style handles. Upper section has 3 sets of hinged doors and lower section has a pair of sliding doors with 4 drawers of varying sizes. Stair incline is from right to left with 8 steps.

The Kaidan is one of the best examples of Japanese ingenuity. Serving a dual function, it makes every inch of space usable storage while allowing access...