An antique Choba Tansu (merchant chest) made entirely of Kirinoki (Paulownia) wood. All original hand forged iron hardware including the Kakute handles. Lock plates feature the original owner's family crest with fine stimple work decorating the design. Matching handle Atari (backstops) design to the lock plates. Leaf style corners on the drawers.

Two large drawers for spacious storage and sliding doors behind which the compartment where merchant books and records were kept...

A rare antique Japanese Sakata Hangai Tansu (captain's business transaction chest) made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Kirinoki (Paulownia) woods. All original translucent Urushi lacquer with hand forged iron hardware. Security door with a working top lock and key that hides 6 interior drawers of varying sizes...

A rare antique Ryobiraki Choba Tansu (merchant chest with hinged doors) made of Hinoki (Cypress) and Kirinoki (Paulownia) woods. All original thick gauged hand forged iron hardware. Shackle lock with working key secures the removable hinged doors that open to a pair of sliding doors and four drawers. A secret button unlatches the left hinged door to open...

A rare antique Sado Island Funa Tansu (captain's chest) made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Kirinoki (Paulownia) woods. All original Urushi lacquer and hand forged hand made iron hardware including the Kakute style handles. Featuring various good luck motifs including the treasure bag, the radish, the pine tree, the bamboo, the plum blossom and the Chrysanthemum. The front has a top drawer, a hinged door and a secret sliding door...

An extremely rare Sado Island Funa Tansu made of Keyaki Burl (Zelkova), old growth Keyaki, and old growth Kirinoki (Paulownia) woods. All original Urushi lacquer finish and hand forged handmade iron hardware including the Kakute style handles. The top drawer opens to a 4 compartment design with 2 covers. It was exterior lacquered for a smooth opening. The bottom right side hinged door opens to a small upper drawer and a bottom false drawer front that hides a wooden box for valuables...

An antique Japanese Chobako (merchant safe-keep box) made entirely of Kiri (Paulownia) wood with original hand forged iron hardware. Acquired a beautiful 200+ year old age patina. Hinged door secures 3 drawers behind which lies a secret box located behind the side by side drawers above.

Unusual side footing purposely made to provide air flow under the box...

An antique Japanese Choba Kuruma Tansu (wheeled merchant chest) made fo Keyaki (Zelkova), Kiri (Paulownia) and Sugi (Cryptomeria) woods. All original hand forged iron hardware and Urushi lacquer finish. Drawers were made using Kakute handles. Lock bar added additional security for the 2 full width center drawers. Sliding doors open to a spacious storage area and the hinged door secure 2 small drawers behind. Side slats add strength and support...

An antique Japanese Bo Tansu (locking bar chest) made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Sugi (Cryptomeria) woods. All original hand forged iron hardware and Urushi lacquer finish. Warabite style handles. Three full width drawers and bottom partial width drawer with hinged security door hiding 3 small drawers. Underneath bottom small drawer lies a secret area where important flat documents or valuables were hidden from plain sight...

A rare antique Japanese Sado Funa Tansu (captain's chest) made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Kiri (Paulownia) woods. All original hand forged iron fittings including the case reinforced iron strappings, the autumn bellflower family crest, and the Warabite style handles. Large front door opens to 3 drawers and a faux drawer front behind which is a money box...

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. Constructed using traditional Japanese dovetail joinery...

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.

Age: Edo Period (1750-1800)

Dimensions: 30" Wide by 26 1/4" High by ...

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. Warriors such as Minamoto no Yoritomo, the founder of the Kamakura shogunate; and Ashikaga Takauji, ...

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. The front of the bottom right drawer has an ...

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. Two large sliding doors open to a spacious storage area with a storage shelf. Below are two side by side drawers for additional organization and storage needs. Constructed using Japanese double and single through mortise and tenon joine...

An antique Japanese Gyosho Bako (street peddler's chest) made of Kiri (Paulownia). All original hand forged iron hardware. Hinged door opens to 5 inner drawers of varying sizes where special wares were stored. 4 upper rings were used in conjunction with rope to provide back pack support. Unusual back handle was used to assist in lifting the Tansu onto ones back.

Age: Edo Period (1750-1800)

Dimensions: 12" Wide by 25 3/4" High by 21 1/2" Deep

A rare antique Japanese Kusuri Tansu (pharmacy or medicine chest) made entirely of Kiri (Paulownia) wood. All original hand forged iron Warabite handles. Original drawer labels left intact. 20 drawers total. Great chest for filing papers and documents. Unusually wide drawers compared to the ubiquitous tiny drawers of the typical Kusuri Tansu.

Age: Edo Period (1750-1800)

Dimensions: 29 3/4" Wide by 36 1/8" High by 15 1/8" Deep

An original Edo Period Japanese single section Kannon Biraki tansu chest made of iron, kiri (paulownia) and sugi (cypress) woods. An assortment of drawers are neatly tucked away inside. Originally made to store textiles and traditional clothing. Pair hinged doors are lockable with original key included.
Hand forged family crest of the Matsunaga family. Original finish and ready to be enjoyed.

Age: Late Edo Period (1603 - 1868)

Dimensions: 36 1/2" wide x 37" high x 2...

An antique Japanese Edo era Ko Tansu (personal storage chest) made entirely of Kirinoki (Paulownia) wood. All original finish and hand made iron fittings. Made with straight dovetail joinery and hardened wooden nails. Original used to store daily documents, ephemera, small utilitarian accessories and personal items. Present day uses include using it as a small side table or a bedside nightstand.

Size: 19 7/8"W 14 3/8"D 14 3/4"H Age: early Edo Period (1644-1868)