Catalog (954)

A rare example of an original extra large 9' Japanese Kyoto Mizuya Tansu (kitchen chest) made of Keyaki burl (Zelkova) and Hinoki (Cypress) woods. All original hand forged iron hardware and Urushi lacquer finish. Hard to find large size with 9 drawers to the upper section and 4 drawers to the bottom section. 3 sets of sliding doors of varying sizes each with a split level shelf. Side slats provide support and visual design to the chest. Stunning original finish, chest is in excellent condit...

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 Ryo Biraki (hinged double door) Kimono Tansu made of Kiri (Paulownia) wood. All original hand forged iron hardware including the Warabite style handles. The main lock plate features the Paulownia motif with its blooming flowers. The doors have the raised seed pod corners. The hinges display a crescent moon style mount and the drawers handles are positioned close together and below the center line atypical of most other Tansu. Behind the doors lies 4 drawers of varying...

A rare antique Sado Island Kasane Tansu made of Kiri (Paulownia) wood. All original hand forged iron hardware including the Warabite handles and original Urushi lacquer finish. All hardware was custom made with no two matching parts. The locking plates feature many auspicious symbols including Ebisu, Daikoku, the Lion Dancers, a crane, two turtles, a Fu Dog and an old wise man. The drawer corners feature a traveler's paraphernalia, the Sho Chiku Bai motif, a Gumbai, and a gathering of dried ...

A rare antique Iwayado Kuruma Choba Tansu (wheeled merchant chest) made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Suginoki (Cryptomeria) woods. All original hand forged iron hardware and Kijiro Urushi lacquer. Featured metalwork includes motifs of Chrysanthemums and Pine trees symbolizing the Takasago Immortal couple. Unusual pod shaped designs on the recessed drawers.

Age: Meiji period (1870-1880). Exhibited in the Palo Alto Cultureal Museum 1995.

Providence:Zentner Private Family Collection

An antique Japanese Kuruma Bo Tansu (wheeled chest with locking bar) made of Keyaki (Zelkova) wood. All original hand forged iron hardware including the Warabite style handles. Two large drawers with two sliding doors below hiding 3 small drawers to the right and a spacious storage area to the left. Side and rear horizontal bars were designed for strength and visual appeal.

Age: Edo Period (1800-1850)

Dimensions: 37" Wide by 40 1/8" High by 19" Deep

An antique Japanese Tansu chest in 2 sections from the Mikuni region of Japan. Functioned as a merchant chest (Choba Tansu) for store record keeping and inventory storage. Constructed of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Hinoki (Cypress) woods. All original hand forged iron hardware with Hikute style handles.

Upper section has 2 sliding drawers with a split level removable shelf and three drawers. Bottom section has four large drawers. Side slates provide structural strength and visual design.

A rare large Antique Japanese Kuruma Tansu (wheeled chest) made of solid quartered sawn Keyaki (zelkova) wood with hand forged iron hardware and wooden wheels. The upper portion of the chest has a large compartment opened by sliding panels with horizontal slats and a heavy iron latch. The bottom portion has one large drawer and two smaller drawers side by side. Gorgeous original finish with beautiful patina.

Date: Mid Edo Period (1603 - 1868)

Dimensions: 62.5" wide X 24"de...

A rare antique Sado Island Funa Tansu (captain's chest) made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Kirinoki (Paulownia) woods. All original Urushi lacquer and hand forged hand made iron hardware including the Kakute style handles. Featuring various good luck motifs including the treasure bag, the radish, the pine tree, the bamboo, the plum blossom and the Chrysanthemum. The front has a top drawer, a hinged door and a secret sliding door. Behind the sliding door are two drawers, each with a secret box behi...

An extremely rare Sado Island Funa Tansu made of Keyaki Burl (Zelkova), old growth Keyaki, and old growth Kirinoki (Paulownia) woods. All original Urushi lacquer finish and hand forged handmade iron hardware including the Kakute style handles. The top drawer opens to a 4 compartment design with 2 covers. It was exterior lacquered for a smooth opening. The bottom right side hinged door opens to a small upper drawer and a bottom false drawer front that hides a wooden box for valuables. The lef...

An antique Japanese Bo Tansu (locking bar chest) made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Sugi (Cryptomeria) woods. All original hand forged iron hardware and Urushi lacquer finish. Warabite style handles. Three full width drawers and bottom partial width drawer with hinged security door hiding 3 small drawers. Underneath bottom small drawer lies a secret area where important flat documents or valuables were hidden from plain sight. Side and rare back slats added strength and visual design to this beau...

A rare antique Japanese Sado Funa Tansu (captain's chest) made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Kiri (Paulownia) woods. All original hand forged iron fittings including the case reinforced iron strappings, the autumn bellflower family crest, and the Warabite style handles. Large front door opens to 3 drawers and a faux drawer front behind which is a money box. Bottom right is a short drawer behind which is a secret hiding space accessible from the money box cavity.

Age: Edo Period (1750-1800)

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. Constructed using traditional Japanese dovetail joinery...

A rare antique Japanese Choba Biraki Tansu made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Kiri (Paulownia) woods. All original Urushi lacquer finish and hand forged elaborate iron hardware featuring Warabite handles, bamboo leaves framing the hinged doors and a center bamboo stalk security plate. The doors secure 5 drawers where the merchant kept valuables atop the upper side by side drawers and wares in the three drawers below.

Age: Edo Period (1750-1800)

Dimensions: 30" Wide by 26 1/4" High by ...

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 ...

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...

Antique Japanese 2-panel screen painting. The right panel has a scene of a man and woman spending a leisurely day by a stream. Deep in conversation over tea, their wealth is evident by their richly patterned robes and picnic blanket. A robe thrown over knees to keep off the chill and the orange leaves of the maple tree suggest that Autumn is here. The left hand panel has another outdoor scene of a beautiful lady and a young girl out for a stroll by a small stream. Nearby are new pine bows and...

A Very rare an extraordinary antique Japanese Kuruma tansu (wheeled chest) made of kirinoki (paulownia) wood. Extremely rare design, Most possibly a tansu from the Akita Castle.
All original including the finish and hand forged iron fittings. Top hinged lid over a thin flat compartment, sliding door compartment locked door reveals inner drawers, bottom sliding door compartment has key that reveals small drawers. There are iron rope rings on each corner to help roll this chest form pla...