Antique Japanese Choba Tansu (merchant chest) from the Tohoku area, made of with Kiri (Paulownia) wood front and Sugi (Cryptomeria) wood frame. Five exterior drawers including an unusual wide and shallow drawer just beneath a compartment with sliding panels. The sliding panels have horizontal slats and frame made of Kurinoki (Chestnut wood). A small safe box on the right-hand side of the tansu has a hinged door which opens to reveal two small drawers on the inside. Lovely natural finish...

Antique Choba Tansu (merchant's chest) from the Tohoku area of Northern Japan. Made with Kiri (Paulownia) wood front and Sugi (Cryptomeria) wood frame and interior. There are six exterior drawers, a compartment with sliding panels, and a safe box all with dramatic round lock plates. Iron hardware also includes Warabite shaped drawer pulls, quarter round corner bracing and half round lock plate and hinge on the safe box...

An antique Japanese Choba Tansu also known as a merchant chest made of Kirinoki (Paulownia) and Hinoki (Cypress) woods,most likely from the Nigata area of Japan. Featuring a Ryo Biraki (hinged double door) design it has a split level shelf where documents and merchant books were stored. Gumpai style handles and hand made iron fittings decorate this chest.

Merchant chests such as these were primarily displayed in a prominent location in the store...

Beautiful and rare Japanese antique choba tansu (merchant's chest), made all of heavy keyaki (elm) wood, keyaki wood bracing on sides and back, original deep reddish brown translucent lacquer finish with wonderful patina, heavy iron hardware, interior has 2 drawers, Edo Period c1800. Size; 36 1/2" high x 40" wide x 23 1/4" deep.

An antique Japanese choba tansu (merchant's chest) made of kiri (paulownia) wood. All original hand forged iron hardware including stylized gumbai handles. Two sliding kiri wood panels framed in black lacquer over two large drawers for safe keeping of inventory. Iron drawer corners feature raised seed pods suggesting this chest originated in the Yonezawa region of Japan.

Age: Meiji Era (1880-1890)

Dimensions: 30 1/2" high x 30 " wide x 15 1/8" deep

Antique Japanese choba tansu (merchant's chest), made with hinoki (Japanese cypress) wood on the front, sugi (cryptomeria) wood sides and top, and kiri (paulownia) wood drawer interiors. The top portion has a full width drawer below which is a compartment covered by two large sliding panels.
The lower portion has 7 drawers of various size and a safe box in the lower right hand corner with two interior drawers...

Japanese antique cha tansu (tea chest) made of dark hardwood, many open shelves with decorative cut out areas, compartment on top right with sliding panels, larger compartment on the bottom with hinged doors, 2 small drawer on the bottom right, Taisho Period. Size: 45" high x 46" wide x 14 1/2" deep.

Antique Japanese storage tansu with locking bar, made of sugi (cryptomeria) wood with original deep reddish translucent lacquer finish, two large drawers lock by vertical locking bar with beautiful heavy iron hardware of a koi jumping up a waterfall, the drawers themselves have square iron handles and corner reinforcements in the form of raised seed pods...

Japanese antique isho tansu (clothing storage chest), made with chestnut wood drawer fronts and sugi (cryptomeria) wood frame, beautiful deep reddish brown lacquer finish on the drawer fronts and the sides and top of the chest, the frame on the front of the chest is lacquered black as is traditional with Fukashima area tansu. Iron hardware inlcudes large round lock plates and warabite shaped drawer pulls. The chest has four large drawers and two small drawers in the lower right hand corner...

Antique Japanese Funa Tansu (ship safe chest), made of Keyaki (Zelkova) wood with elaborate heavy iron work, safe box has hinged door which opens to the right to reveal 4 small Kirinoki (Paulownia) wood drawers of differing sizes (one of which has a Chrysanthemum lock), the left hand door to the safe opens by sliding to the right revealing 2 small Kiri wood drawers, one large external drawer on top with large lock, Chrysanthemum iron work throughout including raised blossoms on the corners o...

Wonderful rare antique Japanese Funa Tansu (ship safe chest), all made of Keyaki (Zelkova) wood with heavy iron work, single door is a separate drop in panel with 3 locks, interior consists of 6 drawers of different sizes (2 of which have heavy iron locks), all drawers have thick Keyaki fronts and Kirinoki (Paulownia) wood interiors, beautiful grain and finish throughout, Kashiwa mon on front is made of bronze encircled in iron, comes with one key, characters in ink on bottom, Edo Period...

Beautiful antique Japanese fune tansu (merchant's ship safe), made of keyaki wood with heavy iron hardware, top has drawer with elaborate lock, bottom has removable panel with three locks, interior has two small locking drawers and another drop in door which reveals a separate locking money box, interior components are made of kiri, iron bracing on top and sides, bottom has wooden bracing, Edo Period ( 2 keys). Size: 19 1/4" high x 21 1/2" wide x 18" deep

Antique Japanese small ko tansu (personal chest) made of kiri (paulownia) wood. The top portion has a compartment opened by a pair of sliding doors. Below this is a series of drawers of various sizes: three small on the right and two medium sized drawers on the left. The very bottom of the chest has one full-width drawer. Hardware includes warabite shaped drawer pulls.

Age: Taisho Period (early 20th century)

Dimensions: 23 1/2" high x 22 1/2" wide x 14 1/4" deep

Antique Japanese small ko tansu, personal chest. Made all of kiri (paulownia) wood with iron hardware. This chest has three large drawers and two small drawers on the bottom. Every drawer is outfitted with a round lock plate, warabite shaped drawer pulls and lovely fan-shaped corner brackets.

Age: Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 23 1/2" high x 22 1/2" wide x 12" deep.

An antique 3 section stacking Isho Biraki Tansu (Kimono chest with removable storage trays) made entirely of Kirinoki (Paulownia) wood. Constructed using dovetail Japanese joinery and hardened wooden nails. Original nickel plated hardware with Chrysanthemum designed lock plates and angled Warabite handles. The top section features sliding doors behind which are two small drawers to the right and a shelf to the left...

A Japanese furniture antique tansu chest in 3 sections made of Kirinoki (Paulownia) and Suginoki (Cryptomeria) woods. All original hardware. Top section features 2 sliding doors behind which is a split level shelf and a small drawer in addition to curved top corners. The center and bottom sections each have 3 drawers for spacious storage...

Antique Japanese 2-section futon tansu, made with chestnut wood frame, keyaki (elm) wood drawers and slider panels, sugi (cryptomeria) wood interior, iron hardware, top section has been converted into an entertainment center with shelves for components (can be removed if desired), small safe box compartment with key and two small drawers inside, Meiji Period (1868-1912). Size: 68" high x 68" wide x 30" deep.

Antique Japanese geta tansu (shoe storage chest). Made of sugi (cryptomeria) wood with marquetry of various woods on the front. The top sliders open to reveal a compartment with a shelf. The lower sliders open to a compartment with 2 shelves. On the right hand side is a compartment with a full height hinged door originally intended for storing umbrellas.

Age: Taisho Period (early 20th century)

Dimensions: 34 3/4" high x 28" wide x 14" deep