Japanese antique isho tansu (clothing storage chest), made with chestnut wood drawer fronts and sugi (cryptomeria) wood frame, beautiful deep reddish brown lacquer finish on the drawer fronts and the sides and top of the chest, the frame on the front of the chest is lacquered black as is traditional with Fukashima area tansu. Iron hardware inlcudes large round lock plates and warabite shaped drawer pulls. The chest has four large drawers and two small drawers in the lower right hand corner...

Japanese antique isho tansu (clothing chest) from the Sendai area, made with keyaki wood on drawer fronts, highly raised and incised black iron hardware including elaborate lock plates in the form of large peony blossoms and scrolling leaves. Moko shaped Iron drawer pulls incised with tiny flowers, 4 large drawers, 2 small exterior drawers. A safe box on the right side has beautifully ornate hardware in a peony motif...

Japanese antique two section large choba tansu (merchant's chest) from the Kansai area, made with hinoki (Japanese cypress wood) with a beautiful natural finish. The top section has sliding panels made with keyaki burl (elm) and 4 drawers. The bottom section has 3 large drawers and another set of sliding panels with horizontal slats. The lower right hand side has a small drawer below which is a safe box with two interior drawers. The hardware is iron with warabite shaped handles...

Antique Japanese tansu chest, made all of kiri (paulownia) wood. The tansu has four large drawers, the bottom two of which are locked with a vertical locking bar also made of kiri wood. The two top drawers have wonderful large iron lock plates in the shape of peony flowers with raised flower buds. The corners of each drawer are reinforced with chrysanthemum shaped ironwork. The lower right side has a safe box with a hinged door reinforced with iron cross bracing...

Antique Japanese 2 section isho tansu (clothing chest) from the Nihonmatsu area. Made with keyaki (elm) wood with dramatic grain and original deep reddish orange translucent lacquer finish. The chest is made up of four large drawers and a safe box in the lower right hand side which has two small drawers behind a locking safe door (with key). Lovely iron hardware includes warabite shaped drawer pulls, large lock plates with pine motif and elaborate cross bracing on the the safe door...

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...

Antique Japanese choba tansu (merchant's chest) made of keyaki (elm) wood with beautiful original finish and patina. The chest has two sets of sliding door panels and a total of 8 exterior drawers. On the right side is a vertical compartment with two small shelves most likely originally for ledger books. This is covered by a drop in panel. On the lower right is a small safe door with two visible interior drawers and one secret drawer...

Original example of a Japanese antique isho tansu from the Matsumoto area. Made all of kiri (paulownia) wood with original patina (frame, top, sides, and drawers). Iron hardware includes money bag shaped lock plates specific to Matsumoto tansu, moko shaped drawer pulls and elaborately cut handle back plates and drawer corner bracing. The tansu has 5 large drawers and the lower right hand side has a safe box with 2 small interior drawers.

Late Edo to Early Meiji Period...

Japanese single section isho tansu (clothing chest) from the Iwayado area. It is made with keyaki (elm) wood on the front and has a beautiful all original translucent lacquer finish...

Antique Japanese isho tansu (clothing chest) from the Sendai or Iwayado area of Japan. The front of the tansu is made all of kiri (paulownia) wood and it has it's original finish and patina. A total of six exterior drawers range from large to small. The mid/lower right hand side has a safe box with 4 small interior drawers also made of kiri wood. Most striking is this chest's elaborate iron work which includes large peony shaped lock plates, and ivy shaped lock plate on the small drawer ju...

Antique Japanese choba tansu (merchant's chest) made all of kiri (paulownia) wood with beautiful original reddish brown lacquer finish and original patina. The chest has 5 exterior drawers of different sizes making for wonderful storage. The lower right hand side of the tansu has a small safe box with original locking key. Located behind the safe door are two small interior drawers. Origianl black Iron hardware includes square shaped handles, corner bracing on the exterior drawers and nice ...

Antique Japanese small tansu with locking bar. Made with keyaki (elm) wood front and sugi (cryptomeria) wood sides. Each of the five drawers are different sizes making for useful storage. Nicely detailed original black Iron hardware includes square shaped handles. Beautiful crane shaped lock on one drawer and a flower shaped lock on another. Cross bracing on the locking bar (bo) with the original locking key. Original deep reddish brown translucent lacquer finish and patina. Meiji Period...

Antique Japanese nagamochi karuma storage trunk. Made of kiri (paulownia) wood and solid Keyaki hardwood wheels with iron hardware and mounts. A large high relief embossed iron locking plate in the form of a phoenix created a lock and latch system on the front of the trunk. The phoenix bird represents justice and Sun obedience. Untouched and original condition, the wood is treated with a dry lacquer finish.

The Trunk also shows the family crest composed of iron mounts on the sid...

Beautiful Japanese antique 2-section Keyaki isho tansu (chest on chest for clothing). Wonderfully dramatic kayaki (zelkova) grain on front. Enhanced by the Original finish in translucent lacquer. Black iron hardware including warabite shaped drawer pulls, safe box in lower right hand corner with 2 small interior drawers. Round iron lock plates with mixed metal raised motif of implements of the Lucky Gods. Original condition and finish. Early Meiji Period (1868 - 1912) . Size: 47 1/2" hig...

Very unusual antique Japanese matching pair of black lacquer gyosho bako (peddler's boxes). Each has a full height door with eight hand forged brass hinges in stunning original patina. One box opens to a large compartment. The other opens to a series of 5 drawers of different sizes. Each box has a square hole for a carrying pole.
This piece would have been used to carry and store a merchants livelihood. Selling objects or services carried out by the tools store inside. A Thick hard...

Pvt. Zentner Family Collection

Rare Japanese antique choba tansu made of keyaki (elm) wood. The top portion has a compartment with sliding panels and horizontal slats. The bottom portion of the chest has two safe boxes with heavy iron hardware, one opening to the left and one opening to the right. Inside each safe box is a series of four small kiri (paulownia) wood drawers. Between the safes are two keyaki drawers with heavy iron lock plates. This chest has 3 working keys and ...

Japanese Kiri wood two(2) section Tansu, Kiri and Cedar chest on chest, Meiji period, before 1900, 42" high, 33" wide, 17" deep with 5 graduated size long drawers, and carved and engraved floral shape black iron back plates have different motif carvings, and black iron handles. Pine wood used in the back and split in some areas caused by dryness and old age, shows wear and tear in original condition, as found condition from Japan.

Antique Japanese small tansu chest made for personal use, made all of kiri (Japanese cypress) wood with nice patina and especially nice joinery. This tansu has beautiful copper hardware all over the front including corner bracing, lock plates and moko shaped drawer pulls. One large drawer runs the full width of the top portion of the chest. Below this is a vertical row of three small drawers on the right side and a compartment opened by sliding panels on the left. On the lower left portion ...