Antique Japanese zenibako, or money box, made of heavy Keyaki (elm) wood. The piece uses a funnel top lid for collecting temple offerings, secured with a very large iron front lock. Original condition. With mortis and tenon joinery.

Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 10.75" W x 17" D x 12.5" 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...

Antique Japanese zenibako (money box) made from kiri (paulownia) wood with original dark lacquer finish. Rare and unusual for a zenibako to been this size as a Tansu. The interior is shelved behind two sliding doors with locks. Mid to Late Edo Period (circa 1800's). Size: 25" H x 29.75" L x 16" D

Unusual Japanese hardwood low shop desk tansu. Original red lacquer finish with heavy iron plates and mounts. The table surface is hinged with three doors that open to interior compartments for papers and other merchant's effects. The middle door has a lady's portrait with calligraphy inscriptions detailing the piece is from a merchant business in "Ume-yashiki, Tokyo" with the merchant name "Shimbashi Kotatsu" and dated 25th year Meiji 1893...

Antique Japanese 2-section choba tansu (merchant's chest) from the Matsumoto region. Made with Keyaki (elm/zelkova) dramatic burl hardwood front panels. The upper section features a pair of sliding panels, with an open shelved compartment inside over two small drawers. One drawer has a slot above it to deposit money inside. There is also a secret hidden compartment, holding a small treasure box with kanji inscription. This style of chest is quite rare...

A rare an high quality Japanese Matsumoto Choba Tansu (merchant chest from the Matsumoto region of Japan) made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Sugi (Cryptomeria) woods. All original hand forged iron hardware with full moon style lock plates and Warabite handles. Recessed side handles lift open to accommodate a wood pole through each handle allowing two persons to carry the tansu from place to place...

Rare Japanese bar tansu from the Mikuni region, made with Hinoki (cypress) wood front panels and Sugi (cedar) wood top and sides. Heavy in weight, with structural bars along the back and sides, all original deep red lacquer finish, the front locking bar with highly ornate iron display of auspicious motifs and turtle shaped lock pin.

Edo period (1603-1868) Circa 1830's.

Size: 37.5" L x 19.5" W x 38" H

Incredible Japanese 2 section isho tansu (clothing chest) constructed of Keyaki (elm) wood, with natural Keyaki quartered sawn burl front drawers. With hand forged iron handles and plates. Stunning clear lacquer original finish, overall in very good condition.

Early Meiji period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 35"L x 16 1/2" D x 50" Height

Stunning solid keyaki antique Japanese small ko tansu with two sliding doors main upper doors. Three drawers with hand forged iron locks. The original finish comes off as a rick medium - dark honey lacquer finish. Dramatic quartered sawn grain pattern seen thronghout the piece. Originates from the Tohoku region of Japan.

Early Meiji Period (1868 - 1912)

Size: 24.5" height, 24" width, 12" depth

A rare and fine example of a Japanese Nihon Matsu Choba Tansu (merchant chest) made of Keyaki (Zelkova), Honoki (Magnolia) and old growth Kiri (Paulownia) woods. Early merchant chest configuration featuring a pair of sliding doors above, a large storage drawer in the center and a pair of sliding doors below hiding small drawers, a secret box and a storage space for merchant books and records...

A stunning Japanese two-section choba tansu (merchant's chest), made from solid Keyaki (elm) wood, originating from the Mikuni region. The upper section holds a roomy, shelved interior with two bold Keyaki grain sliding door panels. The bottom section holds a long top drawer, with elongated lock plate typical to Mikuni tansu. Below are two small drawers with iron Warabite handles, with old labels in Japanese on the fronts, and a smaller set of sliding Keyaki panel doors...

Antique Japanese tansu chest with 4 drawers, each drawer is made of kiri (paulownia) wood that has been cut to display an unusual vertical pattern, each drawer is trimmed in persimmon wood and has a large iron lock plate with an oak leaf (kashiwa) mon, unusual shaped iron drawer pulls, Meiji Period (1868-1912). Rare Yonezawa area Isho Tansu. Size: 36" high x 28 3/4" wide x 15 1/2" deep.

An incredible large antique Japanese merchant Todana Tansu (storage chest with doors and drawers) in 2 sections made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Sugi (Cryptomeria) woods. Originally used in a Japanese store to stock and display wares and supplies as well as provide a beautiful functional furniture accent for the merchant...

A rare example of an original extra large 9' Japanese Kyoto Mizuya Tansu (kitchen chest) made of Keyaki burl (Zelkova) and Hinoki (Cypress) woods. All original hand forged iron hardware and Urushi lacquer finish. Hard to find large size with 9 drawers to the upper section and 4 drawers to the bottom section. 3 sets of sliding doors of varying sizes each with a split level shelf. Side slats provide support and visual design to the chest...

Rare Antique Japanese kuruma or wheeled tansu chest of drawers, constructed with solid quartered sawn Keyaki (zelkova) hardwood in original red lacquer finish, with decorative heavy iron plates and mounts. The upper section of the piece appears to hold two long drawers behind a locking bar, but is really four drawers. The lower section has two long drawers behind another locking bar, each bar with decorative plating...

Incredible Antique Japanese kannon biraki tansu (storage chest with hinged doors) made of hinoki (Japanese cypress) wood with original deep brown lacquer finish. The interior consists of 10 drawers of various sizes made all of kiri (paulownia) wood. Each drawer has a square lock (with key) and warabite shaped drawer pulls. Extensive hand forged iron hardware on the exterior includes 9 hinges on each door, cross bracing and two locks (with key). Original finish and condition...

A massive Japanese solid Keyaki (elm) hardwood Kannon Biraki merchant's chest. Decorated with hand-forged iron plating, the motifs seen throughout the piece's hardware include the image of Ebisu, one of the Seven Lucky Gods of Fortune, proudly holding up a freshly caught fish, a large Mokko (melon) shaped lock on the front pair of doors, with flowers and pine trees adorning the drawer below in the form of its lock and handle plates. Inside the chest are six more drawers, with a secret compartmen...

Rare large Japanese locking bar tansu made of solid gorgeous quartered sawn Keyaki (elm) hardwood. Finished in its original translucent lacquer finish with a black lacquer frame and dark red lacquer front, top, and sides. The unusual configuration of the chest has not one but two symmetrical hinged safe doors on the left and right sides, two recessed drawers in the center with a locking bar running vertically in front of them, ornate hand-forged iron plates and mounts with Kiri leaf mon, and var...