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

A rare antique Japanese Okidoko (display stand for a Tokonoma room) made of Keyaki (Zelkova) wood. The top is one thick solid long piece of this rare wood...

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 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...

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 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...

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...

A rare antique Japanese Sado Island Kasane Tansu made of Kirinoki (Paulownia) and Suginoki (Cryptomeria) woods. Original hand forged iron hardware including the Warabite handles, decorative lock plates and front of drawer corners. The two upper full width drawers have lock plates that each feature the lucky Phoenix bird while the two lower drawers 3/4 width drawers shows an auspicious crane above and a good luck sea turtle below both representing longevity...

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 Sakata Funa Hon Tansu (ship captain's document chest) made of Keyaki burl (Zelkova) in front and Keyaki frame. All original hand forged iron hardware and Urushi lacquer finish. Side carrying handles made of Kaki (Persimmon) wood.

Used in a ship captain's quarters to store valuable documents and books. In the event of a pirate attack, these chests were tied by rope and thrown overboard to prevent them from becoming part of the loot...

A rare antique Japanese Sakata Funa Tansu (captain's chest originating from Sakata, Japan) made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Kirinoki (Paulownia) woods. The sides and top of the body used solid unspliced thick wood boards. All original Urushi lacquer finish and heavy gauge hand forged iron hardware. Constructed using straight dovetail Japanese joinery and hardened wood nails...

A rare antique Japanese Sakata Hangai Tansu (captain's business transaction chest) made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Kirinoki (Paulownia) woods...

A rare antique Sakata Hangai (captain's business transactions chest) made of Keyaki Burl (Zelkova) and Kirinoki (Paulownia) woods. All original Urushi lacquer and hand forged iron hardware including the Hirute style handles. It feature a top drawer and a lift out front security door with lock and key. Behind the door are 5 drawers of varying sizes. In particular is the center bottom drawer that purposely exterior lacquered since it received the most use. This drawer has two covers and origin...

A rare antique Sendai Tansu in 2 sections made of quartered sawn Keyaki (Zelkova) and Sugi (Cryptomeria) woods. Original hand forged iron hardware and natural Urushi lacquer finish. Lock plates feature a rare dragon motif with upper and lower drawer showing the dragon protecting a sacred Hoju. Warabite handles have incised scrolling detail. Hinged and keyed security door protects two small drawers. Beautiful original condition, ready to be enjoyed.

Age: Edo Era (1800-1850)

D...

A rare antique Japanese kuruma tansu (wheeled chest) originally used for storage. Made out of keyaki (elm) wood with hand forged iron hardware in very good original condition. Large sliding panels open to reveal an open shelf on the right side with a hidden storage area under the shelf. The left hand side has an open shelf with 4 drawers tucked underneath. Symmetrical uniform wooden horizontal bracing on the sides and back of tansu. Gorgeous original finish and patina. Unusual to find one ...

A rare edo period Japanese choba (merchants) tansu from the Niigata perfection in Japan. Made of solid keyaki hardwood (including the back). Finely detailed hand forged iron of a flying crane and longevity turtle seen amongst the pine and bamboo. The lower two drawers depict a lock and drum. Stunning original finish with warm tones. 8 drawers in total each of there own size. Two small drawers with unique pull rings tucked securely behind the locking bar.
Locking bar has functional lo...

Exceptional antique Japanese large kannon biraki tansu (chest with hinged doors). Two stacking sections made all of kiri (paulownia) wood. This chest has unusually bold hardware made of iron with traces of red lacquer. Each of the two large doors on the upper portion is fitted with a large iron kiri mon (specifically Gosan-no-kiri-mon) During the Edo Period, this crest became a well established mon of the Japanese government where previously it was used only by the imperial family. The top s...

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, ...