An antique Japanese 2 section Buddhist altar called Butsudan with all original wood carving and lacquer work. Makie landscape art on the drawer fronts and sliding doors with Makie Phoenix motif to the interior floors. Two sets of doors open to an ornate interior featuring a dragon, flowers, a Toro and a plinth where Buddha would sit or stand. 3 side by side drawers at the bottom of the inner sanctum where small accessories were kept...

An unusually small size Nagoya Mizuya Tansu in 1 section made of Hinoki (Cypress) and Sugi (Cryptomeria) woods. 3 sets of sliding doors with spacious storage behind each set. 4 side by side center drawers and 3 drawers at the bottom for additional storage needs. Narrow depth allows for placement in even the narrowest of hallways.

Age: Meiji Era: (1890-1900)

Dimensions: 43 1/4" Wide by 49 1/4" High by 14 1/4" Deep

An antique Japanese choba tansu (merchant's chest) made of kiri (paulownia) wood. All original hand forged iron hardware including stylized gumbai handles. Two sliding kiri wood panels framed in black lacquer over two large drawers for safe keeping of inventory. Iron drawer corners feature raised seed pods suggesting this chest originated in the Yonezawa region of Japan.

Age: Meiji Era (1880-1890)

Dimensions: 30 1/2" high x 30 " wide x 15 1/8" deep

Antique Japanese low square table. Made of unusually dense hardwood. Overall elegant lines with simply carved legs and beautiful grain.

Age: Taisho Period (early 20th century)

Dimensions: 13 1/4" high x 29 3/8" wide x 29 3/8" wide

Rare antique Japanese tansu chest from Takayama city in the Hida region of Gifu Prefecture. Made of hinoki (Japanese cypress) wood with orangish lacquer finish. Iron hardware includes scalloped drawer corners and round lock plates on the three small drawers which line the upper portion of the chest. Below this are four larger drawers with hirute drawer pulls...

Japanese Edo to Meiji period Kanto style personal wood clothing chest (isho-dansu) with a single drawer on top and hinged burlwood doors opening to three additional drawers below. The top drawer has a rectangular black iron lockplate. The burlwood doors (referred to as "kannon-biraki do") are supported by five iron hinges on each side and a horizontal iron strap with a central round lockplate to secure and lock the doors. Edo to Meiji period (19th century)...

Antique Japanese kuruma tansu (wheeled storage chest) from the Northern Sendai area closer to Iwayado. The front of the chest is made with keyaki (zelkova elm) wood with lovely grain and original red-orange translucent lacquer finish. The frame is made of sugi (cryptomeria). The large, raised iron lock plate on the top drawer depicts a pair of cranes flying in clouds. The middle two drawers are held in place with a locking bar (bo) with pine tree shaped ironwork...

Japanese Meiji period wood eight-drawer ko-tansu (personal chest) with black iron lockplates and hirute form handles. 19th century. 20 3/4" high x 14" wide x 13" deep. Very good overall condition with only minor wear. From a Phoenix, Arizona collection.

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...

Japanese Meiji period wood suzuri-bako (portable calligraphy box) with three drawers to hold paper, ledgers, and essential writing accessories. The lid swings open by pushing a locking side button and reveals a narrow storage compartment to hold ink stones and brushes. In addition to the top carrying handle and drawer pulls, all the edges of the chest are reinforced and adorned with heavy original black iron hardware. Circa 1880-1890. 9 3/4" high x 8" wide x 11 1/4" deep...

Antique Japanese marquetry box. The front consists of 6 small drawers of various sizes, each intricately inlaid with tessellated hardwood patterns. The sides and top are covered with larger sections framing smaller marquetry pattern bursts that echo those on the drawers.

Age: Taisho Period (early 20th century)

Dimensions: 10 1/2" high x 11 3/4" wide x 5 1/8" deep

Antique Japanese choba tansu (merchant's chest) made all of kiri (paulownia) wood. Full width top drawer over a compartment with sliding panels and one interior shelf. Two medium sized drawer on the bottom left. On the right hand side of the chest are 3 small drawers over a safebox. The safe door opens to reveal two small interior drawers. Hardware is made of iron and includes rounded lock plates, warabite shaped drawers pulls, corner bracing and two keys...

An antique Japanese Gyosho Tansu (peddler's chest) made of Kiri (Paulownia) wood. All original hand forged iron hardware. Two hinged doors each hiding five drawers storing inventory for the peddler. Bottom rings used to rope the tansu for carrying it about. Constructed using straight dovetail joinery and hardened wooden nails.

Age: Edo Period (1800-1850)

Dimensions: 13 1/4" Wide by 40 1/2" High by 23 3/4" Deep

Antique Japanese kaidan (step tansu). Made in two stacking sections and consisting of 7 steps with storage on one side. The top section has two drawers, a small compartment with a drop-in door on the very top and a compartment opened by sliding panels with vertical slats. The lower section has two drawers and a large compartment opened by sliding panels also with vertical slats. Made of sugi (cryptomeria) wood with reddish lacquer finish on the front. The steps have a natural finish...

An antique Gyosho Tansu (peddler's chest) made of Kiri (Paulownia) wood. All original hand forged iron hardware. Top of chest has a recessed table top where the peddler displayed and demonstrated his wares for sale. Upper hinged door houses 5 drawers where wares were stored and record keeping supplies were kept. Bottom hinged door covers 3 drawers for additional wares.

Age: Edo Period (1800-1850)

Dimensions: 10 1/4" Wide by 26" High by 19 1/4" Deep

An antique Japanese Chobako (merchant box) made of Sugi (Cryptomeria) and Kiri (Paulownia) woods. All original hand forged iron hardware. Hinged safety door protects 6 drawers that were used for various merchant supplies, valuables and papers. Upper carrying handle used to move piece to various locations.

Age: Edo Period (1800-1850)

Dimensions: 12 1/4" Wide by 14 1/2" High by 17" Deep

A rare example of an original extra large 9' Japanese Kyoto Mizuya Tansu (kitchen chest) made of Keyaki burl (Zelkova) and Hinoki (Cypress) woods...

An antique Japanese Sakata Chobako (merchant box) made of Hinoki (Cypress) wood. All original hand forged iron hardware and natural acquired patina. Two full length drawers used to store calligraphy brushes, paper and documents for easy access when conducting merchant transactions.

Age: Edo Period (1800-1850)

Dimensions: 7 3/4" Wide by 9" High by 18 1/4" Deep