Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art (4982)

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...

Antique Tibetan Thangka of the blue Tara, Ekajati, a meditative deity expressing female energy of compassion, kindness, and the light of the god source, holding a Vajra and a Ghanta, surrounded by 100 secondary Bodhisattva and other religious figures, beautifully rendered.

East SF Bay Collection
Dates 18th/19th century
Size H 41" x W 32"

An antique Japanese Kasane Tansu (stacked chest on chest) made of Kirinoki (Paulownia) and Suginoki (Cryptomeria) woods. All original finish and hand made iron fittings. Hinged door hides two small drawers behind. Straight dovetail joinery and hardened wooden nail construction. Top section has two side carrying handles while bottom section has swivel carrying handles with attached locking pins to secure both sections together...

An antique Japanese handwoven Ikebana basket used for flower arranging . Hand woven with a auspicious good luck symbol of a bamboo branch with leaves...

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 Choba Tansu (merchant store chest) made of Kuwa (old Mulberry) and Kirinoki (Paulownia) woods. All original hand made iron fittings and finish. Two center hinged doors are removable with the hook and loop style hinge design. Front Warabite handles with two carrying handles on each side for positioning the chest and the additional swivel handles used with a wood pole to carry the chest from place to place...

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

Antique historic map showing Commodore Perry first arrival in Japan in 1853 showing survey of " Harbor of Napha" with water depth readings, reef areas and harbor details showing "Junk Harbor", surrounding terrain and structures. The landing site was on Ryukyu Island nowadays called Okinawa, four ships with modern cannons and weapons, one of the ships a steel-hold using coal power. The technology far surpassed the local japanese government which had to largely acquiesce to his dominion...

A rare antique Japanese Kusuri Tansu (herbal medicine pharmacist chest) made of Kirinoki (Paulownia) and Suginoki (Cryptomeria) woods. All original finish and hand made iron fittings. Includes swivel side carrying handles which when flipped up allowed a wood or bamboo pole to slide through allowing two attendants to carry the chest about. Sliding doors allowed access to a storage area where herbal books, customer notes and prescriptions were stored...

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)

Asian archaic clay jar with design of fish nets in soft red hue, clay showing signs of roots, repairs to lip.

East Bay Collection
Dates Approximately 1500 BC
Size H 9 1/4" x W 9"

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 Chobako (merchant storage box) made of Kurinoki (Chestnut) and Suginoki (Cryptomeria) woods. All original hand made iron fittings including the Hirute drawer handles and the Warabite carrying handle. It features unique Cherry blossom escutcheons behind the drawer handles and a coin slot at the top that drops into the top left drawer. The other 5 drawers were used to safely keep small store valuables...

Antique India hardwood carving of a mythical bird with a hooked beak, hardhat head, pinecone body and tail feathers pointed down. Xanabu Collection
Dates 19th/20th Century
Size H 18 1/2" x W 17" x D 9"

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 antique Japanese 2 section Isho Biraki Tansu (Kimono Chest with hinged doors) made entirely of Kirinoki (Paulownia) wood. The two doors open to a spacious storage area that houses 2 removable shelves with compartment separators. The bronze and iron fittings are original to the chest. Each section has recessed side handles. The ones on the lower section protrude slightly at act as a locking system when connected to the upper half. Construction includes straight dovetail joinery and harde...

An antique Japanese Tohoku Tansu made of beautiful Keyaki Burl root (Zelkova) and Suginoki (Cryptomeria) woods. Original finish and hand made iron fittings including stylized Kakute handles. The top and sides used a traditional wiped lacquer technique. Raised tea leaf style corners on the drawers which is a traditional design for this region of tansu. Constructed using straight dovetail joinery and hardened wood nails. Used as a double drawer kimono storage chest.

Meiji period (1868-1912...

An antique Japanese Katana Tansu (sword chest) made entirely of Kirinoki (Paulownia) wood. All of the iron fittings are original and hand made including the Hirute handles. Constructed using straight dovetail joinery and hardened wooden nails.

Age: Meiji period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 43 5/8" Wide x 12" High x 12 1/8"Deep