Antique Japanese choba tansu (merchant chest) made with dramatic Keyaki (elm) wood in original lacquer finish. Features sliding doors with vertical slats with a long, single drawer above and two drawers below with lock bar, corner safebox, two plain drawers at the very bottom. Wonderful original condition. Very high quality choba tansu. Original key is included. Edo period (1615-1868) circa 1850s. Size: 39" H x 29.5" W x 17" D

Antique Japanese Keyaki (elm) choba tansu (merchant chest) with original golden brown finish. Used to store important documents for ones business. Made from all Keyaki hardwood with dramatic, gorgeous graining seen throughout. Two large sliding front panels of beautiful swirling natural burl patterns. Five locking drawers beneath for additional drawer storage. Early Meiji Period (1868 - 1912). Size: 28.5" H x 28.5" L x 15.5" D

Japanese solid Keyaki choba tansu (merchant's chest of drawers). The unit sits on a platform base. Original finish solid Keyaki (elm) hardwood construction, detailed with hand forged iron pulls and other hardware.

Meiji period (1868 - 1912)

Dimensions: 36" L x 14 1/2" D x 39" H

Very charming Japanese choba tansu (merchant's chest) made from very beautiful keyaki (zelkova) wood, horizontal slats on its sides, decorative iron hardware including diamond shaped handles with incised scrolling vines, hirute drawer handles, and a cloud-shaped lockplate for a small hinged door with three small drawers inside. Dates from the Meiji period (1868-1912). Original Condition Size: 30" height, 25.75" width, 13.25" depth

Antique Japanese single section tansu with locking bar. With Keyaki (elm/zelkova) hardwood front panels in original red lacquer finish and black lacquer frame. The top and bottom drawers feature a large iron lock plate in the form of a flying phoenix, while the middle drawers are secured by the vertical locking bar with original key. The bottom corner of the chest holds 2 small drawers behind a safe door...

Unusual Japanese single section isho tansu (clothing chest), with dramatic Keyaki (elm) front drawers, opened by simplistic hirute style handle pulls and small, squared locks. Its bottom safe box opens to reveal three small drawers within, for the storage of smaller precious articles.

Meiji period (1868-1912)

Size: 42" L x 18" W x 42" H

Japanese Funa Tansu, or ship safe box, made from Keyaki (Zelkova) wood in an unusual wide shape with two hinged doors instead of the typical one (this style known as Ryobiraki-do). It has iron hinges, corner hardware, and a large, round iron lock in its center with multiple sliding locks and two kan (ring) handles. Inside, it has two long drawers with two warabite handles each, one large drawer with a single handle, and two smaller drawers with leaf shaped handle backings/locks...

Antique Japanese Funa Tansu (ship safe chest) made all of quarter sawn cut Keyaki (elm) wood with revealing natural woodgrain and finish. Cut out appliqué hardware with incised floral motifs adorns the body of the tansu. There are six drawers altogether.

Late Edo period (1603-1868)

Size: 21" L x 16.5" W x 18" H

Antique Japanese solid Keyaki (Zelkova) hardwood Funa Tansu or ship safe chest. The front of the box has heavy iron plating with the number one (ichi) within a circle, motifs of reishi mushrooms, pine trees and flowers with heavy lock plate. The chest's interior hold two medium drawers over three small drawers, with squared and round iron pulls, and red lacquer fronts. Original finish.

Edo period (1603-1868)

Dimensions: 15 1/2" x 19" x 18"

Japanese hardwood platform shelf for a tokonoma, a recessed art display area for a traditional tea ceremony room. Made with bold Keyaki (elm) hardwood with original dark lacquer finish. Original condition.

Dimensions: 54" L x 18" D x 9" H

Antique Japanese kuruma tansu, or wheeled chest, made from keyaki (elm) wood with a deep red lacquer finish, featuring an unusual back and sides with horizontal slats. The front features two sets of large drawers with vertical locking bars and a corner safebox. Set of keys included. Edo period (1615-1867) Size: 47" High 54" Long X 29" Deep

Antique Japanese Yonezawa area keyaki lacquered box with sugi frame. Wrought iron handles with iron backings and a locking mechanism on the bottom drawer. Original condition, Beautiful glowing finish

Meiji Period (1868 - 1912)

Dimensions: 18" wide x 14.25"deep x 17.25"tall.

An antique Japanese low Mizuya Tansu made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Suginoki (Cryptomeria) woods. Original iron handles on upper sliding doors. A pair of large sliding doors allows for spacious storage. Originally used in Japan as a kitchen chest for the storage of dry goods and cooking/serving ware, it would function well as a buffet or sideboard chest.

Age: Meiji/Taisho Era (1910-1920).

Dimensions: 47 3/4" Wide by 31" High by 14 5/8" Deep

An antique money box or zenibako made out of keyaki wood. The front panel detaches and back side of the board may have been used to test the brush before writing notes and documents. The bottom side of the box contains an inscription possibly the location of where the box was placed. Interestingly, on the front of the box next to the lock is a traditional logo carved on the panel. The logo is often used by merchants and often seen on door curtains to storehouses in the Edo Period...

Antique Japanese 2 section isho tansu (clothing chest) from the Nihonmatsu area. Made with keyaki (elm) wood with dramatic grain and original deep reddish orange translucent lacquer finish. The chest is made up of four large drawers and a safe box in the lower right hand side which has two small drawers behind a locking safe door (with key). Lovely iron hardware includes warabite shaped drawer pulls, large lock plates with pine motif and elaborate cross bracing on the the safe door...

Antique Japanese isho tansu (clothing chest) from the Sendai area, made with all Keyaki (elm) wood front with dramatic grain and translucent lacquer finish, elaborate thick iron hardware including moko shaped drawer pulls and ornate raised scrolling vine lock plates with floral mon, large drawer on top, three shorter drawers, two small drawers and a safebox on its right side, which also has ornate iron lotus mon and opens with a ring pull...

Antique Japanese tansu from the Sendai region, made of keyaki wood with red lacquered top and sides, ornate iron hardware such as mokko (melon) shaped handles, large round lockplates with incised designs (the top lock has pierced floral side designs) and a side lockbox. Size: 33" height, 45.5" width, 17.25" depth

Unusual Japanese single section isho tansu from the Sendai region, made of solid Keyaki (zelkova) hardwood with burl front panels. The iron hardware and mounts have floral motifs throughout. The corner plates have scalloped edges, the drawer pulls are mokko (melon) shaped with chrysanthemums mounts, the round lock plates are incised with Kiri leaf mon and two are outlined with scrolling vine motifs. The safe door opens to reveal three inner drawers for small valuables...