A rare antique Japanese Choba Kotansu (merchant small chest) made of Hinoki (Cypress) and Suginoki (Cryptomeria) woods. All original hand forged iron hardware. Removable hinge doors behind which hides a removable horizontal bar that securely latches the left door in place. Spacious storage behind the doors where the merchant kept his store books and records. Two upper drawers were used to keep money and valuables. Beautiful original calligraphy on the sides and back of the tansu...

An antique Japanese Choba Tansu (merchant chest) made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Suginoki (Cryptomeria) woods. Original hand forged iron hardware including the stylized Mokko handles. Seven drawers for organizing and storage with two sliding doors where store recordsn were kept and a safe door behind which two small drawers held merchant valuables...

An antique Japanese Choba Tansu (merchant chest) entirely made of Kirinoki (Paulownia) wood. In the Biraki style, it features two hinged doors that hide 12 drawers for the storage and organization of store records, papers and wares...

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...

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 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 isho tansu (clothing chest) from the Sendai area. Made with keyaki (zelkova elm) wood front and sugi (cryptomeria) wood frame. The chest has four large drawers, two small drawers and a safe box (with key) which opens to two small interior drawers. The hardware is made of iron and features beautiful lock plates in the form of scrolling vines with a chrysanthemum mon in the center and warabite drawer pulls...

An antique Japanese Nihon Matsu Kasane Tansu (stacking chest on chest) made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Suginoki (Cyrptomeria) woods. The finish is an original natural Urushi lacquer. Unusual lock plates each featuring auspicious symbols with the upper design showing a lucky crane (for 1,000 years of longevity) and the lower design showing a lucky sea turtle (for 10,000 years of long life). The three central symbols represent Sho Chiku Bai (Pine, Bamboo & Plum Blossom)...

Antique two-section Keyaki wood tansu from the Fukushima region of Japan. It has a beautiful, warm woodgrain, iron warabite handles, with cherry blossom and leaf iron decorations above and below each handle, and a corner lockbox with a flower-shaped lock handle and ring pull with flower backing. 19th century Meiji Period. Size: 45" height, 41.75" width, 17.5" depth

Antique Japanese choba tansu made of keyaki (elm) wood. The top portion has two small drawers. The middle portion has a compartment opened by sliding panels with horizontal slats. The slats are made of quarter sawn keyaki wood which dramatically accents the striped quality of the wood grain. Below this is a single large drawer. The hardware is made of iron and includes round lock plates.

Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 31" high x 24" wide x 14 3/4" deep.

Japanese 2 section Mizuya or kitchen tansu, the front frame with original dark lacquer Hinoki (cypress) wood, Sugi (cedar) sides, and door panels of Keyaki (elm) burl with original reddish orange lacquer finish...

An antique Japanese 2 section Nagoya Choba Tansu (merchant chest) made of Hinoki (Cypress), Akita Sugi (Cryptomeria from the Akita region) and Suginoki (Cryptomeria) woods. Original iron fittings. Constructed using mortise and tenon & through mortise and tenon joinery as well as hardened wood nails. There are side horizontal slats for added strength and support. The top sliding door panels were decorated with beautiful flowing grain Akita Sugi wood boards...

Japanese choba tansu (merchant's chest) from the Sakata area, made of keyaki (elm) wood with kiri (paulownia) wood interior. The upper and lower portions of the chest have drawers of various sizes. In the center is a compartment opened by two hinged doors...

An antique Japanese Yonezawa Isho Tansu made of Kuri (Chestnut) and Sugi (Cryptomeria) woods. All original Urushi lacquer finish and hand forged iron hardware. Lock plates feature the family crest of the original owner with bronze outer circular frames. The handles are of the Warabite style. Five drawers with a security hinged door that hides 2 additional drawers.

Age: Meiji period (1880-1890)

Dimensions: 42 3/4" Wide by 35 3/4" High by 16 1/2" Deep

An antique Japanese Kotansu (personal storage chest) made of Kiri (Paulownia) and Sugi (Cryptomeria) woods. All original hand forged iron hardware and aged patina finish. Warabite style handles. Straight dovetail Japanese joinery and hardened wood nails were incorporated into its design. Five drawers with a hinged security door that behind hides two small drawers.

Age: Meiji Period (1880-1890)

Dimensions: 29 1/4" Wide by 26 3/8" High by 15" Deep

Antique Japanese tansu with original deep-red lacquer finish. The top portion of the chest has three full-width drawers and locking bar. The lower portion of the chest has two medium sized drawers with a locking bar on the left hand side, a safe box on the right. The safe box door has heavy iron work and opens to reveal 3 small interior drawers. Other iron hardware includes warabite drawer pulls, extensive corner bracing and handles for carrying. The sides and back of the tansu are reinforc...

An antique 2 section Kimono chest (Isho Tansu) made of rare solid Kuwa (Mulberry) and Kiri (Paulwonia) woods. All original bronze and iron hardware. Two sliding doors with beautiful scrolling frame behind which lies a lift-off door, small drawer and a split level shelf with hand carved bamboo-like details. Three side by side drawers and 5 full width drawers below.

Age: Taisho Period (1920-1926)

Dimensions: 37 1/8" Wide by 63" High by 16 5/8" Deep

Antique Japanese Tansu Chest Nambu Kimono Chestnut Meiji An antique Japanese Kimono Tansu (chest of drawers) from the Nambu region made of Kuri (Chestnut) and Sugi (Cryptomeria) woods. All original hand made iron fittings including the three dimensional style lock plates and top drawer handle backplates of which Nambu is known for having created. The handles are of the Warabite style and the lock plates feature floral designs. The security door at the bottom right features good ...