An antique Japanese Kimono Kasane Tansu (stacking chest on chest) made entirely of Kirinoki (Paulownia) wood. Original hand made iron fittings with an open ceremonial fan design on the lock plates and Hirute drawer handles. Recessed hidden side handles on the upper section...
An antique Japanese Edo era Ko Tansu (personal storage chest) made entirely of Kirinoki (Paulownia) wood. All original finish and hand made iron fittings. Made with straight dovetail joinery and hardened wooden nails. Original used to store daily documents, ephemera, small utilitarian accessories and personal items. Present day uses include using it as a small side table or a bedside nightstand.
Size: 19 7/8"W 14 3/8"D 14 3/4"H
Age: early Edo Period (1644-1868)
An antique Japanese Katana Tansu (sword chest) made entirely of Suginoki (Cryptomeria) wood. All original hand made iron fittings including the Hirute drawer handles. Some loss to the metal commensurate with its age. Large top drawer stored the Katana, medium drawer stored the Wakazashi and the small drawer stored the polishing tools and extra hardware.
Age: Meiji Period (1868-1912)
Dimensions: 44 1/4" Wide x 12" High x 12" Deep
An antique Japanese Gyosho Bako also known as a merchant peddler's chest with the outer case and hinged door made of Kirinoki (Paulownia) and the inner drawers and drawer floor boards made of Hinoki (Cypress) woods. All original Urushi lacquer finish and hand made iron fittings. Side handles swivel up allowing a wood or bamboo pole to slide through so that two attendants can easily transport the chest...
An antique Japanese Nihon Matsu Kasane Tansu (stacking chest on chest) that was made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Suginoki (Cryptomeria) woods. All original beautiful Urushi lacquer finish and hand made iron and bronze hardware including the Warabite handles. Pine and plum blossom Atari (handle backstops) and lock plates featuring a wealthy traveler's hat, Mino (straw cape), Takarabukuro (treasure bag) and Uchide No Kozuchi (treasure mallet)...
An antique Japanese Haribako (traditional tall neck sewing box) made of Kuwa (Mulberry), Kuri (Chestnut), and Kiri (Paulownia) woods. All original finish and hand made bronze hardware. The two upper drawers and the small drawer on the upper neck all have wooden sliding covers to protect the contents within. The hinged cover on the upper neck opens to a small recess where a pin cushion was kept. The center of the neck has a hole where originally a ruler called Shaku used to be held...
An antique Japanese 2 section Gifu Choba Tansu (merchant chest) made of Hinoki (Cypress) and Suginoki (Cryptomeria) woods. Uncommon and rare small size. The sides feature horizontal cross ribs for added strength and durability. Its construction included mortise and tenon as well as through mortise and tenon joinery. Behind the two sets of sliding doors are storage areas originally used to keep business store records and ledgers...
An antique Japanese Chobako (merchant box) made of thick Hinoki (Cypress) and thick Suginoki (Cryptomeria) woods. Straight dovetail joinery with hardened wooden nail construction. Original bronze and iron hardware. Two different sized coin slots at the top of the box. Includes a working key.
Age: Meiji Period (1868-1912) Dimensions: 10 7/8" Side x 12" High x 11 7/8" Deep
An antique Japanese Kyodai (mirror stand) made of Toneriko (Tamo Ash) and Tochonoki (Horse Chestnut) woods. Original bronze fittings and finish. The bottom support panel features a relief hand carving of a flying crane, a sea turtle, a pine tree and bamboo, all good luck symbols representing longevity and strength...
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 while the horizontal and vertical marquetry of the top and sides adds texture and dimension to the piece.
Yosegi is a centuries old traditional Japanese craft that began in the late Edo era...
An antique Japanese Ko Tansu (personal storage chest) made of Kirinoki (Paulownia) and Suginoki (Cryptomeria) woods. All original hardware including the Warabite bronze handles and hand made iron fittings. Constructed using straight dovetail joinery and hardened wooden nails. Two small drawers are hidden behind the hinged door.
Chests such as these were used primarily by a Japanese family to store their documents, letters, ephemera, photos and other treasured keepsakes...
An antique Japanese Sendai Ko Bo Tansu (personal chest with locking bar) made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Suginoki (Cryptomeria) woods. All original Urushi lacquer finish and hand made iron hardware with Warabite handles. The bottom main drawer has a lock plate that features the lucky Sho Chiku Bai motif with a crane and a turtle added for additional good luck and longevity. The hinged door has two small drawers hidden behind. Also, there is natural built-up patina surrounding the metal-work...
An antique Japanese Cha Tansu made from solid Keyaki (Zelkova) & Keyaki Burl woods with a Kirinoki (Paulownia) wood drawer back. Removable trick shelves behind the sliding side by side doors. Original bronze fittings and a lucky Gourd carved drawer handle out of Kakinoki (Persimmon) wood with the same wood used for the sliding door handles...
An antique 2 section tall Japanese Choba Tansu (merchant chest) made of Hinoki (Cypress) and Suginoki (Cryptomeria) woods. Beautiful original finish of fine Shunkei-Nuri (lacquer) in front and a wiped lacquer technique on the top and sides. In addition, the handmade iron hardware is original with Warabite handles. Top section has two sliding doors with 5 drawers below. The bottom section has 8 exterior drawers, 2 sets of sliding doors and 2 small drawers behind the hinged door.
Age: Mid...
An antique Japanese Ko Tansu (personal storage chest) made entirely of Suginoki (Cryptomeria) wood. Original wiped Urushi lacquer technique finish with original hand made iron hardware including Gumbai handles. Constructed using straight dovetail joinery with hardened wood nails.
Contemporary uses for this chest include making a lovely side table or a useful and functional bedside stand and cabinet.
Age: Meiji Period (1868-1912)
Dimensions: 21 3/4" Wide x 22 1/2" High x ...
An antique Japanese Kasane Tansu (stacked chest on chest) made entirely of Kirinoki (Paulownia) wood. Constructed using straight dovetail joinery and hardened wood nails. Alll original hand made iron hardware. Sho Chiku Bai (Pine, Bamboo, Plum) motif on the handle backplates. Interior of drawers feature side handles for ease of carrying. Upper section has lift-up side handles and bottom section has swivel side handles both designed to let a bamboo or wood pole through the handles allowing two ...
A rare antique Japanese Cha Tansu (tea chest) made of Kuwanoki (Mulberry) and Kirinoki (Paulownia) woods. The tansu was made using solid Kuwanoki burl wood in front and solid Kuwanoki wood on the case and back. The sliding doors open to a spacious storage area while the lift-out door opens to a split shelf area for book storage. Two drawers feature lock plates in the form of stylized Cherry Blossoms.
There are secret locking tabs that lock the left and right drawer of the set of three u...
This is an antique Japanese 3 section Isho Biraki Tansu (kimono storage chest with hinged doors) made of Kirinoki (Paulownia) and Suginoki (Cryptomeria) woods. Top section has a split level shelf behind the sliding doors with three small side by side drawers below the doors. Three removable kimono storage shelves hide behind the hinged doors on the center section while the bottom section has large spacious drawers.
There are inset exposed side handles on the bottom and center sections that se...