Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art: Asian: Japanese: Furniture (890)

An antique Japanese Gyosho Tansu also known as a merchant peddler's chest made entirely of Kirinoki (Paulownia) wood. Five drawers behind the hinged front door and a sixth drawer below the door. The sides have upper iron cord holding rings and cord holes at the bottom which allowed the merchant to carry this tansu on his back while transporting his wares. All original hand made iron hardware.

Age: Meiji period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 10 1/2" Wide x 27" High x 19" Deep

An antique Japanese Ko Bo Tansu (personal storage chest with locking bar) made entirely of Kirinoki (Paulownia) wood. Hinged door hides three small drawer behind. Unusual tapered locking bar design. All original finish and hand made iron fittings with Kakute handles.

Contemporary uses include using it as a bedside nightstand or complementing any room as a side table.

Age: Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 26 3/4" Wide x 23 1/2" High x 14" Deep

An antique Japanese 2 Section Kamidana Tansu made of Keyaki (Zelkova), Hinoki (Cypress) and Suginoki (Cryptomeria) woods. The top section was used as a Shinto shrine with a multi-level platform and original paper charms still attached to the interior walls. Built into the platform are sliding doors where Shinto religious artifacts were stored.

The bottom section has three large drawers, each with spacious storage...

An antique Japanese 1 section Todana Tansu made of Hinoki (Cypress) and Suginoki (Cryptomeria) woods. Four sliding doors open to a spacious storage area behind. Four drawers along the bottom allow for additional organized storage below. Original hand made iron fittings complete this beautiful chest.

Age: Meiji period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 66 7/8" Wide x 33 1/2" High x 23 3/4" Deep

An antique Japanese Kiri Kasane Tansu (stacking chest on chest) made of Kirinoki (Paulownia) and Suginoki (Cryptomeria) woods. All original finish and hand made iron fittings. Two small drawers behind the small hinged door. Hidden behind the bottom small drawer is a secret pull-out box that was used to store valuables by the original Japanese owner of this chest.

Age: Meiji period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 38 1/2" Wide x 40 1/2" High x 17 1/2" Deep

An antique Japanese Gifu Mizuya (kitchen chest) made of Hinoki (Cypress) and Suginoki (Cryptomeria) with Kakinoki (Persimmon) wood drawer fronts and sliding door panels. All original bronze hand made hardware including handwoven bronze screen wire on the bottom sliding doors. Also, original etched glass on the center sliding doors. Small lift out door covers an additional storage area.

Age: Meiji period (1868-1912)
Dimensions: 36 5/8" Wide x 66" High x 18 5/8" Deep

An antique Japanese Sakata Funa Tansu also known as a ship captain's chest with a Keyaki (Zelkova) wood exterior and a Kirinoki (Paulownia) wood interior. Finished in a natural Urushi lacquer, it showcases the beautiful wood grain. Hidden to the right behind the sliding doors are small drawers for additional storage and a removable Kakesuzuri Bako complete with inkstone...

An antique Japanese 2 section Nihon Matsu Tansu made of Urushi lacquered Keyaki (Zelkova) and Suginoki (Cryptomeria) woods. Original finish and hand made iron fittings. Features double plum blossom Atari (handle stoppers) above and below the handles with Sho Chiku Bai (Pine tree, Bamboo, and Plum Blossom), lock plates featuring Chrysanthemum knobs. Two small drawers hide behind the hinged door.

The Nihon Matsu tansu is traditionally a large kimono storage chest that has spacious storage...

An antique Japanese Kuruma Tansu known as a storage chest on wheels made of Keyaki (Zelkova), Kiri (Chestnut) and Suginoki (Cryptomeria) woods. Hidden behind the two sliding doors are two small drawers and a split level shelf. Situated below the doors are two side by side drawers for added storage. The sides of the chest feature cross rib supports and through mortise and tenon joinery for additional strength and support.

The Kuruma tansu has become a rare chest over the years...

An antique Japanese Kansai Tansu in an unusual and unique multi-drawer design made of Kirinoki (Paulownia) wood. All original bronze hardware with straight dovetail joinery and using hardened wood nails in its construction. Divided compartment behind the sliding upper doors with wall separator allows for strength on its top where heavy objects can be displayed...

An antique Japanese Ko Tansu (personal storage chest) made of Kirinoki (Paulownia) and Suginoki (Cryptomeria) woods. Hidden behind the hinged door are two small drawers. All original hand made iron fittings with Gumbai handle with a natural wood grain finish and straight dovetail joinery construction.

Chests such as these were used in a home to store letters, photos, miscellaneous ephemera, small valuables and other sundry items...

An antique Japanese Choba Tansu (merchant chest) made of Keyaki (Zelkova), Suginoki (Cryptomeria) and Kirinoki (Paulownia) woods. Original Urushi lacquer front with a wiped lacquer technique used on the body. Hand made iron fittings with the round sliding door handles featuring an incised design of a lucky Pine tree and an old Minka (thatched roof Japanese home)...

A very rare antique Japanese Kusuri Tansu (medicine chest) made of Kirinoki (Paulownia) and Hinoki (Cypress) woods. All original finish and bronze hardware. Doe skin drawer pulls used to prevent drawer fronts from marring when the chest is closed. Consisting of 168 small upper drawers to house herbs and medicines with 9 drawers below varying in size used to organize pharmaceutical records, business papers. and writing tools...

A rare antique Japanese Edo era Choba Tansu (merchant chest) made of Keyaki (Zelkova), Kurinoki (Chestnut) and Suginoki (Cryptomeria) woods. Sliding doors in front with various small drawers and shelves that originally store merchant documents, books and other store related items.

The merchant chest served two purposes in a business. The first was its basic utilitarian function of serving as a business records storage and safe for keeping money and valuables...

A rare antique Japanese Niigata Kiri Children's Kasane Tansu (stacking chest on chest) made entirely of Kirinoki (Paulownia) wood. It features a stylized Chrysanthemum design on each plate which represents the Mon or family crest of the original owner and Gumbai handles. The iron fittings were all hand made and the chest was constructed using straight dovetail joinery and hardened wooden nails.

These children's chests are not often seen in Japan...

An antique Japanese Kiri Kasane Tansu (stacking chest on chest) made entirely of Kirinoki (Paulownia) wood. Using hand made iron fitting and Kakute style handle pulls. Construction includes straight dovetail joinery and hardened wood nails. Two drawers behind the small hinged Kobiraki door.

A secret box can be found hidden behind the bottom small drawer in back of the hinged door. This box also has a slide out top lid and a finger hole pull.

Age: Early Meiji period (1870-1880)...

An antique Japanese Ko Tansu or personal storage chest made entirely of Kirinoki (Paulownia) wood. Hand made iron fittings and Warabite style handle pulls accent this chest. With a Kobiraki hinged door, it hides 3 small drawers behind. It was constructed using straight dovetail joinery and hardened wooden nails. It has an unusual depth in its size which was custom designed for its original owner well over a century ago.

Present day functions for this tansu would include using it as a ...

An antique Japanese Ko Tansu (personal storage chest) made entirely of Kirinoki (Paulownia) wood. Hand made iron fittings with Warabite style drawer pulls. Constructed using straight dovetail joinery and hardened wooden nails.

Original use was for the family storage of ephemera, small valuables, letters, documents, etc. Present day uses include functioning as a bedside stand or being used as an elegant side table.

Age: Meiji period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 20n 1/2" High x...