Antique Japanese choba tansu (merchant's chest) made with solid keyaki wood on entire front and top with beautiful patina and dramatic grain. The top drawer and locking bar have elaborate iron hardware including locks with one key. The locking bar has ironwork in the form of a stock of bamboo and locks three drawers. The bottom portion of the chest has sliding panels with vertical slats and the lower right of the chest has a safe box with two small interior drawer also made of keyaki wood...

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...

An an antique Japanese Nihon Matsu Kasane Tansu made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Sugi (Cryptomeria) woods. All original hand forged iron hardware and natural Urushi lacquer finish. Warabite handles feature Atari (backstoppers) with upper Butterfly and lower Plum Blossom motifs. Lock plates feature Sho Chiku Bai (Pine, Bamboo, and Plum Blossom) motif with stylized Chrysanthemum lock knobs. Two smaller drawers are hidden behind the lower hinged safe door that locks with a key (included)...

Beautiful antique Japanese knarled root made of cherry wood. Used in the tea ceremony for bamboo basket or vase ikebana display. Late Meiji Period c.1895 with rich patina and fabulous asymetrical flow. Excellent condition with very tiny minor original wood splits on surface but these nicely add rather than detract. c.1895. (20" x 18" x 15") (50cm x 46cm x 38cm). EMS Shipping/Insurance to USA or Western Europe $200.

Antique Japanese hangai tansu (captain's chest for business transactions). Two door panels outfitted with heavy iron work set into the frame and open to reveal five drawers on either side. The exterior frame of of the box is made of sugi (cryptomeria - Japanese cedar) while the drawers are made of kiri (paulownia) wood. The exterior has square iron handles while the interior has iron warabite shaped drawer pulls...

Japanese antique small tansu chest for personal use. Made all of kiri (paulownia) wood. This tansu has 3 large drawers of different sizes and 2 small drawers in the lower right hand corner. Iron hardware includes pierced corner bracing, round lock plate and drawer pulls.

Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 27 1/2" high x 29 3/4" wide x 15 1/4" deep.

An antique Japanese Nihon Matsu Kasane Tansu (stacking chest on chest) made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Suginoki (Cryptomeria) woods. Original Urushi lacquer and hand forged iron hardware. The locks feature the double Chrysanthemum knobs with the upper bronze plate featuring coins, a wisdom scroll, a treasure bag and 3 Hoju sacred jewels. A treasure mallet swivels to hide the key hole...

Japanese early Meiji period deep wood Merchant chest, or box with three(3) deep graduated size drawers with black iron handles, 11" high, 16 1/4" deep from front to back, 8" wide, retains light honey color original finish. Dovetail joint around the back corners, wood shrinkage on top and side, shows the wears and tears, all original condition.

Beautiful Japanese mizuya (kitchen tansu), all keyaki front with very dramatic grain and original red-orange tranlslucent lacquer finish, 2 sections with an unusually tall top section including 4 separate compartments covered by sliders and a series of 5 small drawers; bottom section has a large compartment with 4 sliding panels and a row of 9 drawers.

Meiji Period (1868 - 1912)

Size: 68 1/2" high x 65 1/2" wide x 17" deep

Japanese Cedar and Pine wood Writer's Box with Black Iron handle, hinges, and drawer pulls, Ca. early Meiji period, 19th C., 7" high, 11" deep front to back, 5 1/2" wide. Large open space under the hinged top is for storing Scholar's utensils. Push the small button on the side lock compartment to lift up the top. Two(2) drawers have black iron ring pulls. The condition is good, no damages. The black finish is original.

An antique Japanese Nihon Matsu Kasane Tansu (stacking chest on chest) made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Suginoki (Cryptomeria) woods. Original Urushi lacquer finish and hand forged iron hardware. The lock plates feature the lucky Sho Chiku Bai (Pine Bamboo Plum blossom) motif with two stylized Chrysanthemum knobs. The handles are in the Warabite style with handle stoppers that are butterflies above and plum blossoms below...

Rare antique Japanese choba tansu made of keyaki (elm) wood with beautiful grain. Two full width drawers, one on top and one on the bottom. The center of the chest has three small drawers in a vertical row on the right. A large compartment with an interior shelf has an unusual lift out door. Iron hardware includes cross bracing on the lift out panel and square shaped handles. Beautiful original deep brown translucent lacquer finish. Edo period: Early 19th century...

Wonderful and rare Japanese antique small kiri (paulownia) wood choba tansu (merchant's chest), made all of thick kiri wood with unusually heavy iron work, sliding panels have horizontal slats that are reinforced with iron bracing, behind sliding panels is a compartment with an open shelf and two small kiri drawers each with heavy iron lock, every drawer has iron lock and square shaped drawer pull, a dramatic piece!, Edo Period (early 19th century). Size: 24 3/4" high x 25" wide x 16" de...

An antique Japanese Kasane Tansu (stacking chest on chest) made of Kiri (Paulownia) wood. All original hand forged iron hardware including the stylized Mokko handles. Beautiful Japanese joinery including straight dovetail joints reinforced with hardened wood nails. Hinged door (often called the Theive's door) behind which lies two small drawers that held valuables...

Antique Japanese Funa Tansu (ship safe chest), made of Keyaki (Zelkova) wood with elaborate heavy iron work, safe box has hinged door which opens to the right to reveal 4 small Kirinoki (Paulownia) wood drawers of differing sizes (one of which has a Chrysanthemum lock), the left hand door to the safe opens by sliding to the right revealing 2 small Kiri wood drawers, one large external drawer on top with large lock, Chrysanthemum iron work throughout including raised blossoms on the corners o...

Japanese Marquetry wood inlaid Hanging Cabinet or hanging cupboard with doors, one(1) shelf inside, Meiji period, later part of 1800's, 24 3/4" high, 22 1/2", 6" deep. All the Marquetry inlaid wood designs are on the front part of the doors and the top area, representing typical Japanese Artistic Symbols on the Hardwood Cedar and other mixed wood, and Brass key hole is not complete. It shows beautiful wood old Patina with age, one(1) vertical small piece of the wood on the side panel is missing...

An antique Japanese Choba Tansu (merchant chest) made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Hinoki (Cypress) woods. Original wiped lacquer technique finish and hand made iron hardware. The lock knobs feature a Plum Blossom design and the design of the handles is a straight Gumbai. Sliding side by side doors open to a spacious area where once merchant books and records were stored.

A rare feature of this chest are the hidden compartments under the four bottom side by side drawers. Under the center tw...

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...