Japanese antique 2-section choba tansu from the Gifu area. This merchant's chest is made of hinoki (Japanese cypress) wood and has extensive horizontal wooden slats on the sides for support. The top portion of the chest has sliding panels with horizontal slats which match the sides and one full-width drawer. The larger bottom section also has sliders with horizontal slats and 5 drawers of various sizes...

Rare Japanese Funa Tansu known as a Ship Captain's vault chest. Made with beautiful original thick Hinoki (Japanese cedar) wood, with triangular mortis and tenon joinery. The corners and drawers are accented by attractive ash color iron plating. The inside of the chest holds a unique array of seven drawers in a natural finish, with hirute type drawer pulls and all but three with additional locks.

An old Japanese label remains on the second drawer down...

Japanese kanto style Kannon Biraki double-stacking personal clothing chest (isho-dansu). Often referred to as a "wedding chest," this tansu would have been used to store a bride's formal wedding kimono. Hinged doors on the upper section open to reveal four drawers. The layout of the drawers is characteristic of the earliest form of kanto style chests. The doors exhibit the traditional configuration of five iron hinges and iron strapping surrounding a round foliate lockplate at the center...

Large Japanese Meiji period kuruma (wheeled) tansu configured with seven drawers and a locking bar. The top drawer has embossed rectangular iron hardware in the form of a peacock. Warabite handles. 19th century. 47 3/4" long x 19 1/4" deep x 44 1/2" high. Very solid and in good, sturdy overall condition. The wheels are a bit stiff, but functional, and the original finish has only minor wear. There is a short cigarette burn on the edge of the top...

Japanese Meiji period Sendai style zelkova (keyaki) wood single-section tansu with characteristic rectangular carved lockplate on the upper drawer, Mokko-style (melon) drawer handles, and hinged door on the right side opening to two drawers. Two side carrying handles. Late 19th century (circa 1880). 46 3/4” wide x 18” deep x 34 1/2” high. Very good overall condition with typical wear, some separations in the wood, and shrinkage to the drawers...

Japanese antique apothecary (medicine) chest for a merchant of herbs. Made of 100% hinoki (Japanese cypress) wood with 35 drawers of various sizes. Hand forged Iron hardware includes hirute and ring shaped drawer pulls. From the Kansai Area.

Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 28 1/2" high x 35 3/4" wide x 11 1/4" deep

Japanese antique choba tansu (merchant's chest) with kannon-biraki cabinet doors (opening outward on hinges). The doors open to reveal one interior shelf. These door panels as well as the safe box door are both removable. (The hinge pins are built into the door side of the lock and slot into the hinges on the tansu frame.) There are 6 drawers of various sizes. The safe box on the lower right hand side has two additional small interior drawers...

Antique Japanese small merchant's box. Although this tansu has the appearance of a gyosho bako (peddler's box), it does not have loops for carrying straps. It was probably custom made for a merchant's raised platform area. All of the drawers feature hand forged iron lock plates and mounts. One of the smaller drawers is stained with ink meaning it would have stored an ink pen for receipts and accounting...

Antique Japanese kannon biraki (opening door) isho tansu (clothing chest) in 2 sections. Made with kiri (paulownia) wood front with sugi (cryptomeria) wood top and sides. The top section has a pair of hinged doors which open to reveal two large drawers. The bottom section has two large drawers and a safe box in the lower right hand side...

Antique Japanese tansu from the Nigata area of Japan. Most likely used by a merchant for storage. The 9 drawers are in three rows with the shallowest drawers along the top and gradually getting deeper toward the bottom of the chest. The hardware is all of iron and includes elegant hirute shaped drawer pulls, fan shaped lock plates and corner bracing. The wood is paulownia (kiri) wood.

Edo Period (early 1800's)

Dimensions: 19 1/2" high x 31" wide x 19" deep.

Antique Japanese Choba Tansu (merchant chest of drawers) from the Kyoto region. The chest has an open shelved compartment, with a money slot on the bottom shelf that drops into the drawer below. With black iron Warabite style handles on each drawer, 3 of which also have squared lock plates with Chrysanthemum studs.

The Kurinoki (Chestnut wood) frame is constructed using through mortise and tenon joinery while the drawers are made of Kirinoki (Paulownia wood). Meiji Period (1868-1912)<...

Antique Japanese unusually small kannon biraki (hinged doors) tansu chest made of kiri (paulownia) wood. The top portion of the chest opens to reveal a compartment with a single shelf. The bottom portion has two exterior drawers. Elaborate iron hardware is like that of a larger kannon biraki chest and includes heavy hinges and cross bracing on the doors with an ivy leaf mon (crest).

Edo Period (early 1800's)

Dimensions: 16 1/4" high x 19 1/4" wide x 10" deep.

A table of turned wood from the folk industry of Korea dating from the 19th century. This is a rare find, even in Korea, where very little remained after years of warfare and rebuilding. Traditionally with four joined legs called a soban, this type turned from a roundel is quite unusual. It is 35 cm (14 inches) diameter. There are some minor insect damages.

House-shaped box with copper hinged lids. Open frame design with copper hard mounts, handles, and Keyaki wood construction. The Kandouko compartments hold the copper rectangular brazier and a square copper water container with lid, spout and a handle. Fitted with the essentials of travel for a hot drink and food. The brazier has a vent hole in the Sakura motif. The brazier devise heats the water for warming the sake and it can also be used to grill food; The warmer has a spout to let out the wat...

Unusual Japanese single section kannon biraki tansu. This safe chest holds an open top shelf and 2 drawers behind the front hinged locking doors.

Edo period (1603-1868)

Dimensions: 27.5" x 14" x 13.5" H

Japanese ko tansu, or small chest, with natural finish kiri wood front drawers. The outer frame has the Akamatsu wood dramatic woodgrain in black lacquer finish and cut-out handles for carrying. The hand-forged iron lock plates are in motifs of the Mokko mon.

Edo period (1603-1868)

Dimensions: 22.5" x 10.5" x 10.75" H

Antique Japanese bar tansu with dramatic natural Keyaki burl front hardwood. The locking bar has hand-forged iron bamboo motif plating; Its handle is a 16 petal chrysanthemum Imperial seal mon. The piece has 4 large drawers and a safe box containing 2 smaller drawers. Original condition lacquer finish.

Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 24" x 12" x 24.5" H

Rare Japanese gyosho bako (peddler's chest traveling backpack) made with 100% Kiri wood (paulownia). With raised lacquer Ichi mon on its hinged front door with red lacquer backside. The door opens to a shallow front compartment with red lacquer frame interior. The top of the chest has a hinged lid with hand-forged iron plating and lock, opening to a deep inner compartment. The bottom area of the peddler's box holds a long sliding drawer with iron ring pulls on either side and red lacquer sides. ...