A rare antique Japanese Sakata Choba Tansu (merchant chest) made of Keyaki (Zelkova) wood. All original hand forged iron hardware including the Kakute style handles and the Sakata lock plates. Two side by side drawers with a pair of sliding doors below that hides 3 drawers to the right and a merchant books and records storage space to the left. Secret hiding space behind the lower right drawer accessible by way of the left drawer cavity...

A rare antique Japanese Choba Biraki Tansu made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Kiri (Paulownia) woods. All original Urushi lacquer finish and hand forged elaborate iron hardware featuring Warabite handles, bamboo leaves framing the hinged doors and a center bamboo stalk security plate. The doors secure 5 drawers where the merchant kept valuables atop the upper side by side drawers and wares in the three drawers below...

An antique Japanese Choba Tansu (merchant chest) made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Aka Matsu (Red Pine) woods. Beautiful original hand forged iron hardware and Urushi lacquer finish. Two full width drawers and sliding doors with horizontal slats that hide three small drawers on the right and a business books and records storage area on the left. Upper drawer features a lucky treasure bag lock plate with a stylized Mt Fuji lock plate below...

An antique Japanese 2 section Kaidan (step chest) made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Hinoki (Cypress) woods. All original iron hardware including the Hikute style handles. Upper section has 3 sets of hinged doors and lower section has a pair of sliding doors with 4 drawers of varying sizes. Stair incline is from right to left with 8 steps.

The Kaidan is one of the best examples of Japanese ingenuity...

A rare example of an original extra large 9' Japanese Kyoto Mizuya Tansu (kitchen chest) made of Keyaki burl (Zelkova) and Hinoki (Cypress) woods. All original hand forged iron hardware and Urushi lacquer finish. Hard to find large size with 9 drawers to the upper section and 4 drawers to the bottom section. 3 sets of sliding doors of varying sizes each with a split level shelf. Side slats provide support and visual design to the chest...

Offering an incredible pair of original Sergio Rodrigues armchairs, known as the "Mouse" chairs. Book-matched Brazilian rosewood, with gorgeous dramatic patterns. Very much in the tradition of the American industrialist design, predecessor of mid century. Influence in the Eames chair. It is a chair that invites sprawling — perfect for the social milieu of the bossa nova and caipirinha cocktails; where a languorous afternoon spent chatting and joking is the apex of enjoyment...

Rare antique Japanese Biraki Choba (merchant chest with hinged doors). The doors open to reveal 9 drawers of various sizes over a single large exterior drawer. Heavy iron hardware includes extensive cross bracing, large hinges, warabite drawer-pulls, a large round lock plate, a lock and 3 keys.
The lock plate has a large Minamoto Clan family crest-likely that of the Seiwa Genji clan...

A very rare antique Japanese Choba Biraki Safe Tansu (merchant safety chest with hinged doors) made of old growth Keyaki (Zelkova) and Kiri (Paulownia) woods. All original hand forged iron hardware including the main drawer lock plate of Pine trees with matching corners of monkeys reaching for peaches, the hexagonal hinged door lock representing the owner's family crest and Furui (old) Kakute handles. Hinged doors open to 7 drawers of varying sizes...

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...

Pair of amusing maki-e lacquered wooden spoons with an insect motif on the spoon, a cicada and a butterfly. Handle with braided rope pattern. Label on the back : 坧耒 ? (uncertain transcription).

Japan – 20th century
Width: 1.38 in. (3.5 cm) – length: 6.57 in. (16.7 cm)

A rare antique Japanese Kuruma Tansu (wheeled chest) made of Keyaki (Zelkova) wood. All original hand forged iron hardware including the Warabite handles and bottom rope pull rings. Horizontal wood slats on all four sides provide strength and age old beauty...

Wood and lacquer lectern (kendai) with a drawer at the foot. Takamaki-e decoration representing an eagle on a rocky promontory, surrounded by vegetation. Head down and wings half unfolded, it is about to fly away, perhaps to hunt its prey.

The eagle is considered as the king of birds. Its tail feathers are said to be the best feathers for an arrow. It is said that these were given to the imperial court and to the shrine of Ise (Mie prefecture), one of the most sacred places in Shint...

A rare antique Japanese Ryo Biraki (hinged double door) Kimono Tansu made of Kiri (Paulownia) wood. All original hand forged iron hardware including the Warabite style handles. The main lock plate features the Paulownia motif with its blooming flowers. The doors have the raised seed pod corners. The hinges display a crescent moon style mount and the drawers handles are positioned close together and below the center line atypical of most other Tansu. Behind the doors lies 4 drawers of varying...

A rare antique Sado Island Kasane Tansu made of Kiri (Paulownia) wood. All original hand forged iron hardware including the Warabite handles and original Urushi lacquer finish. All hardware was custom made with no two matching parts. The locking plates feature many auspicious symbols including Ebisu, Daikoku, the Lion Dancers, a crane, two turtles, a Fu Dog and an old wise man. The drawer corners feature a traveler's paraphernalia, the Sho Chiku Bai motif, a Gumbai, and a gathering of dried ...

Jûbako picnic box made of paulownia wood and shaped like a paulownia flower. It is composed of three compartments with the interior in red lacquer.

With its original box with several inscriptions, included the datation "- 2nd year of Kaei era", namely 1848

Paulownia (kiri) is considered as a symbol of nobility, honor and longevity. Since the Edo era, there has been a tradition that paulownia is planted at the birth of a daughter to be used later as a material for makin...

A rare antique Iwayado Kuruma Choba Tansu (wheeled merchant chest) made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Suginoki (Cryptomeria) woods. All original hand forged iron hardware and Kijiro Urushi lacquer. Featured metalwork includes motifs of Chrysanthemums and Pine trees symbolizing the Takasago Immortal couple. Unusual pod shaped designs on the recessed drawers.

Age: Meiji period (1870-1880). Exhibited in the Palo Alto Cultureal Museum 1995.

Providence:Zentner Private Family Collection