An antique Japanese Choba Tansu (merchant chest) made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Hinoki (Cypress) woods. Original wiped lacquer technique finish and hand made iron hardware. The lock knobs feature a Plum Blossom design and the design of the handles is a straight Gumbai. Sliding side by side doors open to a spacious area where once merchant books and records were stored.

A rare feature of this chest are the hidden compartments under the four bottom side by side drawers...

An antique Japanese Choba Tansu (merchant chest) made entirely of old growth Kiri (Paulownia) wood. All original patina and hand forged iron hardware including the Warabite style handles. Designed with 6 exterior drawers, 2 sliding doors and a hinged security door that hides 2 interior drawers. A spacious storage area and shelf behind the sliding doors stored the merchant's books and business records.

Age: Edo Period (1800-1850)

Dimensions: 31" Wide by 31" High by 16 5/8" Deep

An antique Japanese Choba Tansu (merchant chest) made of Kiri (Paulownia) and Sugi (Cryptomeria) woods. Original hand forged iron hardware with Kaute style handles. 6 drawers of varying sizes with a pair of sliding doors and a security door that hides 2 additional drawers and a secret box where valuables were kept.

This Tansu would make a perfect side chest or nightstand.

Age: Edo Period (1800-1850)

Dimensions: 32" Wide by 31'" High by 18" Deep

An antique Japanese Choba Tansu (merchant chest) made of Kiri (Paulownia) wood. All original hand forged iron hardware including the Warabite style handles. 2 sliding doors with 5 drawers. Spacious storage area behind the doors with a split level shelf where business books and records were stored by the store owner.

This would make a perfect side chest or bedside nightstand.

Age: Meiji Period (1880-1890)

Dimensions: 30" Wide by 21 5/8" High by 15" Deep

Antique Japanese Choba Tansu (Merchant Chest) constructed of Keyaki (Elm), Hinoki (Cypress) and Kirinoki (Paulownia) woods. Horizontal slates on the sliding doors and sides of the chest make up the traditional design of this piece. It features side pull-up handles, Kakute drawer pulls and rectangular locking plates. Originally used by a shop owner, this chest was typically positioned in a prominent location of the store to showcase the success and longevity of the business...

Antique Japanese Choba Tansu (merchant chest) made of Kurinoki (Chestnut), Keyaki (Elm)and Suginoki (Cryptomeria) woods. Sliding doors cover a spacious area where business books and documents were stored. Hand made iron fittings and hardened wooden nails were used in the construction of this chest. Multiple drawers were used to store business stationary, writing brushes, money and business supplies...

An antique Japanese Choba Tansu (merchant chest) in a rare two section design made of Kiri (Paulownia) wood. All original hand forged iron hardware with full moon style locking plates and Warabite handles. Two sliding doors open to a storage area where merchant books and business records were kept. Recessed side handles on the tops of each section.

Merchant chests provided two important key elements for the store owner...

An antique Choba Tansu (merchant chest) made entirely of Kirinoki (Paulownia) wood. All original hand forged iron hardware including the Kakute handles. Lock plates feature the original owner's family crest with fine stimple work decorating the design. Matching handle Atari (backstops) design to the lock plates. Leaf style corners on the drawers.

Two large drawers for spacious storage and sliding doors behind which the compartment where merchant books and records were kept...

An antique Japanese Choba Tansu (merchant chest) made of Hinoki (Cypress) and Aka Matsu (Red Pine) woods. All original hand forged iron hardware. Unusual counter Ryo Biraki design with door hinges in the center of the piece opens to a configuration of drawers and open cavities where store records and books were held. It has a low profile that was custom designed for the merchant for his specific needs...

An antique Japanese Choba Tansu (merchant's chest) made of Keyaki Burl (Zelkova) and Suginoki (Cryptomeria) woods. The sides of the chest feature horizontal cross ribs for added strength and durability. Constructed using mortise & tenon, through mortise & tenon, and double through mortise & tenon joinery. Use of hardened wood nails...

An antique Japanese Choba Tansu (merchant chest) made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Aka Matsu (Red Pine) woods. Beautiful original hand forged iron hardware and Urushi lacquer finish. Two full width drawers and sliding doors with horizontal slats that hide three small drawers on the right and a business books and records storage area on the left. Upper drawer features a lucky treasure bag lock plate with a stylized Mt Fuji lock plate below...

An antique Japanese Choba Tansu (merchant chest) made of Keyaki (Zelkova), Aka Matsu (Red Pine) and Suginoki (Cryptomeria) woods. Original wiped Urushi lacquer finish and hand forged iron hardware. 3 drawers with 2 sliding doors that hide a spacious storage area behind. Horizontal ribs on the doors and side of the tansu for strength and visual design...

Antique Japanese Choba Tansu (merchant chest) made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Hinoki (Cypress) woods...

An antique Japanese Choba Tansu (merchant chest) made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Suginoki (Cryptomeria) woods. Original hand forged iron hardware including the stylized Mokko handles. Seven drawers for organizing and storage with two sliding doors where store recordsn were kept and a safe door behind which two small drawers held merchant valuables. Am elegant chest that would also serve as a functional sideboard or storage cabinet.

Age: Meiji Period (circa 1880-1890)

Dimensions: 34 ...

A rare antique Japanese Choba Tansu (merchant chest) made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Suginoki (Cryptomeria) woods. Original hand forged iron hardware including the Kikute handles and Urushi lacquer finish). Unusual design with two small drawers secured by a locking security bar and two sets of doors with the upper set having a spacious storage area behind and the bottom set having storage to the left and three small drawers to the right. The main drawer has a lock plate with an incised Chrysanthem...

An antique Japanese Choba Tansu (merchant chest) made entirely of Kiri (Paulownia) wood. All original hand forged iron hardware including the Hikute style handles. Two front sliding doors open to 10 drawers of varying sizes including a large open compartment where business books and documents were stored.

Age: Edo Period (1800-1850)

Dimensions: 30 1/2" Wide by 23 3/4" High by 19 3/4" Deep.

An antique Japanese Choba Tansu (merchant chest) made entirely of Kiri (Paulownia) wood. All original hand forged iron hardware including the Warabite handles and full moon lock plates. With eight exterior drawers, a pair of sliding doors with split level shelf behind and a hinged security door that hides two additional drawers.

Typically used by a store front merchant who showed pride of ownership by showcasing this Tansu in a prominent area of the store for all customers to see.
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An antique Japanese Choba Tansu (merchant store chest) made of Kuwa (old Mulberry) and Kirinoki (Paulownia) woods. All original hand made iron fittings and finish. Two center hinged doors are removable with the hook and loop style hinge design. Front Warabite handles with two carrying handles on each side for positioning the chest and the additional swivel handles used with a wood pole to carry the chest from place to place. Lower right hinged door hides 3 smaller drawers.

Merchant che...