An antique Japanese Kotansu (personal storage chest) made of Urushi lacquer on Kuri (Chestnut) and Sugi (Cryptomeria) woods. All original hand forged iron hardware including the Kakute style handles. Featuring 4 drawers of varying sizes and a safety hinged door hiding two small drawers where valuables were kept.

Age: Meiji Era (1880-1890)

Dimensions: 24 3/8" Wide by 22" High by 12" Deep

An antique Japanese Todana Tansu (cabinet chest) made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Sugi (Cryptomeria) woods. All original hand forged iron handles including the Warabite handles. Two sliding doors behind which lies a large storage area, a lift-out door where additional storage was used and 6 drawers of varying sizes used to organize ones belongings. Side slates added strength and support. Constructed using both single and double through mortise and tenon Japanese joinery...

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...

A rare antique Japanese choba biraki tansu (merchant's chest). Made of keyaki (zelkova elm) wood with burled wood on the front. The top portion of the chest has a large full-width drawer. On the right side is vertical row of four small drawers. Two hinged doors open to a shelf and two small interior drawers. And two medium sized drawers line the bottom of the chest. Hand forged iron hardware includes warabite handles, round lock plates and cross bracing on the doors...

An antique Japanese Kansai Mizuya Tansu in 2 sections made of Hinoki (Cypress) and Keyaki (Zelkova) woods. Upper section features two sets of sliding doors with a set of 5 side by side drawers. Bottom section has 2 large sliding doors that open to a spacious storage area behind. Constructed using Japanese mortise and tenon joinery. Drawer handles are Hikute style made of hand forged iron.

Age: Meiji Era (1890-1900).

Dimensions: 71 3/4" Wide by 67 1/4" High by 19 3/4" Deep

A rare antique Sendai Tansu in 2 sections made of quartered sawn Keyaki (Zelkova) and Sugi (Cryptomeria) woods. Original hand forged iron hardware and natural Urushi lacquer finish. Lock plates feature a rare dragon motif with upper and lower drawer showing the dragon protecting a sacred Hoju. Warabite handles have incised scrolling detail. Hinged and keyed security door protects two small drawers. Beautiful original condition, ready to be enjoyed...

A wonderful example of an original Japanese Armored Safe chest. Constructed of hand selected and quartered sawn keyaki (zalkova hardwood) and hand forged iron hardware / fittings. Thick hinged door opens to reveal 4 individual drawers with secret compartment located under the largest (bottom) drawer. Internal drawers are made of original light kiri (paulownia) wood.

Age: Edo Period late 18th Century

Dimensions: 19" High x 15 3/4" Wide x 18 1/3" Deep

An unusual early Meiji period medicine 2-tiered Kusuri chest. Made from 100% quarter sawn kiri (Paulownia) wood, and small hand forged iron pull hardware. Original warm red tones with brown undertones finish give the small chest a great sensibility. Total of 13 individual drawers, used to store and keep natural remedies, herbs and tonics.

Age: Meiji Period (1868 - 1912)

Dimensions: 12” Wide x 12” Deep x 17 1/2” High

Japanese antique kusuri tansu, chest with many drawers for storing medicinal herbs for an apothecary. Made of kiri (paulownia) wood with sugi (cryptomeria) wood frame. Small hand holds cut in the sides for convenience. Each of the 49 small drawers is labeled with a paper label. Older labeling in ink can be seen on some drawers. The lower portion of the chest has three medium sized drawers...

Antique Japanese storage tansu opened by two large sliding panels with horizontal slats. The doors open to a compartment with a shelf and two drawers on the right. One of the drawers has a hidden compartment. The left side opens to a single shelf. The tansu is made of hinoki (Japanese cypress) and sugi (cryptomeria) wood. Hardware is made of iron and includes lock plates and two warabite shaped drawer pulls...

Antique Japanese choba tansu (merchant's chest) made all of kiri (paulownia) wood. A full width drawer on the top most portion, three medium drawers on the left opposite a hinged safe box door (with key) with 3 interior drawers. The lower portion of the tansu has two shallow drawers positioned side-by-side over another full-width drawer on the bottom. Iron hardware includes square drawer pulls, unusual lock plates on the drawers and safe box with cross bracing...

Antique Japanese single section mizuya (kitchen tansu). Made with keyaki (zelkova elm) wood on the front with beautiful grain. Two large storage compartments with sliding panels. One with wire for ventilation and display. The lower portion of the chest has two drawers with iron warabite shaped drawer pulls.

Age: Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 33 1/2" high x 35 1/4" wide x 17 7/8" deep

Antique Japanese single section mizuya (kitchen tansu). Made with sugi (cryptomeria) wood and hinoki (Japanese cypress) wood refinished to reveal the beauty of the natural wood grain. Iron hardware with round lock plates and warabite shaped drawer pulls. The tansu has three large drawers on the right and a compartment with sliding panels over two smaller drawers on the left.

Age: Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 33 1/4" high x 65" long x 18 1/2" deep

Antique Japanese kannon biraki tansu. Single section with hinged doors which open to reveal 4 interior drawers; two large and two small. Made all of kiri (paulownia) wood with iron hardware. The large, round lock plate and cross bracing are classical aspects of this type of chest. Used for storing clothing and outfitted with handles for carrying.

Age: Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 20 1/2" high x 37" wide x 16 1/4" deep

A rare antique Japanese Okidoko (display stand for a Tokonoma room) made of Keyaki (Zelkova) wood. The top is one thick solid long piece of this rare wood...

Antique Japanese large 2-section storage tansu for an herbal merchant. Made of hinoki (Japanese cypress) wood, beautifully worn and patinated from years of use. The top section has a large compartment opened by two sliding panels and with two interior shelves. The bottom section has 38 drawers for storage of various herbs and wares. Every drawer has an iron hirute-shaped pull.

Age: Early Meiji period (circa mid 1800's)

Dimensions: 67 3/4" high x 71 1/2" wide x 18" deep ...

Antique Japanese suzuri bako (writing box). Made of beautiful keyaki (zelkova elm) burl and persimmon wood. Unusually fine joinery on the corners. With three small drawers. The top is a persimmon wood panel that lifts off to reveal a compartment intended for an ink stone. The inside of the compartment has traces of red pigment as well as calligraphy and an array of brush stokes. One can imagine the calligrapher hurriedly wiping his brush or making a practice stoke.

Age: Meiji Per...

An antique Japanese long low Todana Tansu made of Hinoki (Cypress) and Kiri (Paulownia) woods. Visually stunning horizontal slats on the two sliding doors cover 6 drawers (3 on each side). Original hand forged iron Hikute handles on each drawer. Additional slats to each side. It would make a wonderful sideboard or base cabinet for a TV monitor.

Age: Meiji Era (1880-1890)

Dimensions: 70 3/4" Wide by 28 3/4" High by 19" D