A rare antique Japanese optometrist roll top tansu complete with lenses and glasses. Original navy corduroy covered pull-out shelf with two side by side storage drawers. The display case of lenses double as a removable tray for portable transport from room to room or place to place. Made of Tochinoki (Horse Chestnut) and Kirinoki (Paulownia) woods...

A rare Japanese antique Sado Island Child's Kimono Tansu made of Kirinoki (Paulownia) and Suginoki (Cryptomeria) woods. Original natural Urushi wiped lacquer finish with hand forged iron hardware. The lock plates feature cranes and sea turtles that symbolize longevity and the drawer corners feature stylized clouds.

Children's kimono tansu are quite rare to find since they had to be custom made by the tansu maker...

A rare antique Japanese Sado Kasane (stacking chest on chest) Tansu made of Kurinoki (Chestnut) and Kirinoki (Paulownia) woods. Original natural Urushi lacquer finish. Hand forged and hand made iron hardware featuring two Phoenix birds representing immortality on the upper large drawer lock plates, two sea turtles symbolizing 10,000 years of longevity and a crane meaning 1,000 years of long life on the lower drawers...

Antique Japanese rare fune bako (ship safe box) with interesting large, heavy iron warabite handles on its front and backside, front lockplate with flower shaped iron knob and hinged locking pin. Lid is completely removable and has short inscription inside. Meiji period (1868-1912) Original Beautiful Condition. Size: 6.25" height, 6.25" width, 17.25" length

A rare antique Japanese Sakata Funa Tansu (Captain's chest for uniform storage) made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Kiri (Paulownia) woods. All original Urushi lacquer finish and hand forged iron hardware including the Hirute exterior handles and the Warabite interior handles. Lift-off security door opens to two drawers where the captain's uniform would have been stored. Fully framed in iron.

Age: Edo Period (1800-1850)

Dimensions: 33" Wide by 18" High by 17 1/4" Deep

A rare antique Japanese Kasane (stacking chest on chest) Tansu made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Sugi (Cryptomeria) woods. Original Urushi lacquer finish and hand made iron hardware. Double side by side upper drawer design sometimes considered the matriarch pattern among Sendai Tansu collectors. Beautifully poised Shishi or Botan (Peony) motif on all of the lock plates with unusual scalloped cast framing surrounding each image. Warabite handles with incised Chrysanthemums along the bottoms of each...

Rare and Beautiful late Edo period (circa 1850's) small bar tansu from Tohoki area in Japan. Made of keyaki Hardwood with Stunning original glowing finish, accented by round black iron handles with locking bar. Includes hand forged iron stand that supports and floats the piece off the ground. Great original condition. Measures 24" high x 18.5" wide x 14.5" deep.

A rare Japanese small 2 section Choba Tansu (merchant chest) made of Hinoki (Cypress) wood. All original hand forged iron hardware including the Warabite style handles. Upper section features 2 sliding doors with 5 drawers below. Lower section incorporates 7 drawers with 2 sliding doors and a hinged security door that hides 2 drawers...

A rare and unusual Japanese Keyaki burl choba tansu with original dark red translucent lacquer finish. The front of the chest has two hinged doors with hand forged iron fan lock plate, with two drawers below. When the chest is opened, it reveals a spacious interior with a large open compartment, a long top drawer and three smaller all burl wood drawers along the side.

Early Meiji period (1868 - 1912)

Dimensions: 25 1/2 x 15 x 25 3/4 h

Rare Antique Japanese choba tansu (merchant chest) from the Takayama region. Beautiful solid Keyaki (elm) wood with kayaki burl front sliding panels. Unusual design of drawers and locking bar. Excellent Original translucent lacquer finish. Late Edo Period (circa 1800's). Size: 32" H x 31.5" L x 15" D

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 Sugi (Cryptomeria) woods. All original hand forged iron hardware including the Hikute style handles and wiped Urushi lacquer finish. Horizontal slats on all four sides provide strength and visual Japanese architectural design. Two sets of sliding doors with two side by side drawers...

A rare antique Japanese merchant chest (Choba Tansu). All original hand forged iron hardware including the Kakute style handles and the full moon lock plates. Entire exterior of the tansu is Keyaki (Zelkova) with drawer backs made of Kiri (Paulownia) woods. 16 total drawers for merchant storage of valuables. Each side has two sets of handles, one for long distance carrying and one for room placement...

An antique Japanese Kuruma Choba Tansu (wheeled merchant chest) made entirely of Kiri (Paulownia) wood. All original hand forged iron hardware including the full moon style lock plate and interior Warabite handles. Hinged doors open to a 12 sectional compartment area where valuables were organized and stored. Below are two drawers where additional storage was used...

An antique Japanese Choba Tansu (merchant chest) made of Hinoki (Cypress) and Sugi (Cryptomeria) woods. All original hand forged iron hardware and Urushi lacquer finish. Removable hinged door opens to two large compartments where merchant books and store records were kept. Below are two drawers for additional storage. Side handles allow for easy placement of the chest in a room.

Age: Edo Period (1800-1850)

Dimensions: 25 3/4" Wide by 41 1/8" High by 17 1/4" Deep

A rare antique Japanese Tansu chest called Kodansu. Its purpose was for use as a merchant's side chest where trade records, documents, papers and business tools were stored. The front and case were made using burl Keyaki (Zelkova) wood with Hinoki (Cypress) wood completing the rest of the chest...

Antique Japanese unusual kiri wood (paulownia) tansu with original honey finish, two front doors with decorative iron hardware incised with heart designs. The interior houses ten drawers of varying size opened by hirute style handles complimenting the gorgeous natural woodgrain. Custom iron stand included. Meiji Period (1868 - 1912). Original finish and condition. Very useful storage. Size: 22.5" H (29" H on stand) 26.5" L x 16.75" D

A rare antique Japanese large Kannon Biraki Tansu made entirely of thick Kirinoki (Paulownia) wood. Using straight dovetail Japanese joinery and hardened wood nails, this specially commissioned tansu was custom designed and made for a bride's dowry. Its purpose was for storing the bride's wedding kimono and accoutrements after the ceremony . Unlike the traditional wedding kimono chest where the bottom half is usually just drawers and sometimes a hinged door, this one features a pair of slidin...