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

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 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...

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...

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 Japanese choba tansu (merchant's chest) made with all kiri (paulownia) wood on the front and sugi (cryptomeria) wood on the sides and top. The tansu has a full-width drawer on the upper portion above a compartment with sliding panels on the left and two small drawers on the right. The lower portion of the chest has two medium sized drawers on the left and a safe box above a small drawer on the lower right...

Japanese antique choba tansu (merchant's chest) from the Gifu area. Made with all kuri (chestnut) wood front, hinoki (Japanese cypress) wood on the sides and top. The upper portion of the chest has a full width drawer over a compartment covered by two sliding panels with horizontal slats. The lower portion of the chest has a series of 4 drawers of various sizes on the left and a hinged safe box door on the right hand side. The safe box door opens to reveal 2 small interior drawers...

Antique Japanese long table made out of a cashier's gate. Turned on it's side, this gate would have defined the area around the cashier's work space in a store. Now made into an attractive and useful piece of modern furniture. The slats of the gate can be seen on the sides as well as through the glass top which was added later. With six compartments for storage or display. Made of hinoki (Japanese cypress) wood and with it's original patina...

Antique Japanese round table, carved all over with irises, curving legs are in especially high relief with large iris blossoms, dark finish, table top has reddish brown finish, beautifully carved and very dramatic, made for export, circa 1910. Size: 29 1/2" high x 39" wide (at widest point) Table top is 28 1/2" wide diameter.

Japanese antique couch, elaborately carved with coiling dragons, curving arms are carved in the form of two dragons, the seat is fitted with a cushion covered in silk brocade with a Chinese design, Meiji Period. Size: 41 1/4" high x 49" wide x 22" deep. (the seat is 42" wide x 16/17" deep.)

Antique Japanese bench elaborately carved with dragons, fitted with custom cushion of red silk with dragon pattern, flip top seat (with matching throw cushions inside), back carved with two large dragons and three reserves with dragons and a phoenix in the center, arms in the shape of dragons, beautifully carved, Meiji Period. Size: 53 1/2" high x 69" long x 26" deep.

An antique Japanese bellow (called Fuigo) made of Suginoki (Cryptomeria) wood. Used by sword makers and metal craftsmen to blow air into a Kama to increase the temperature of the fire.

Age: Meiji Era (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 19 3/4" Wide by 11 1/2" High by 6 3/4" Deep

Beautiful Japanese antique 2-section storage tansu made with all keyaki (elm) wood on the front, the top portion of the top section has a shrine compartment covered by 4 small glass sliding panels. The interior of the shrine compartment has two small compartments with double doors for displaying flat images with slatted drop in panels covering small compartments on either side...

Antique Japanese 2 section Soma isho tansu from the Northern Honshu area, beautiful keyaki (elm) wood on front, sugi (cryptomeria) wood frame, deep red translucent lacquer finish, iron hardware with incised warabite shaped drawer pulls and very large round chrysanthemum shaped lock plates, safe box in lower right hand corner with 2 small interior drawers, safe box has key, Meiji Period (1868-1912). Size: 44" high x 45 1/2" wide x 18" deep

Antique Japanese Kasane Tansu (clothing chest). Two stacking sections made all of kiri (paulownia) wood. The top section has two large full-width drawers. The bottom section has one long drawer over a deep drawer on the lower left and a safe box on the lower right. Hardware is made of iron and includes square lock plates, corner bracing and warabite shaped drawer pulls. The safe box door has iron cross-bracing and swings open on 5 hinges...

A Nihon Matsu tansu with beautiful reddish brown lacquered keyaki wood front face with hinoki (cypress) wood drawers. The round lock plates on each drawer feature a crane and turtle motif, signifying a wish for happiness and long life. There are 4 large drawers with spacious interiors and on the right lower side is a safe box door with two interior drawers. Traditionally used for storing folded kimonos...

Beautiful Japanese antique 2-section isho tansu (clothing chest) from the Nihonmatsu area of Japan, made with nice keyaki (elm) wood on drawer fronts, safe box in lower right hand corner opens to two small interior drawers, there is a key for the safe, lovely iron hardware includes large warabite shaped drawer pulls with separate small butterfly details, Meiji Period. Size: 45 3/4" x 43" wide x 17 3/4" deep.

Antique Japanese 2-section mizuya tansu (chest on chest for kitchen storage) from the Kyoto area. Made with hinoki (Japanese cypress) wood frame and sugi (cryptomeria) wood interior. The top section has two compartments; the upper most with four sliding panels of beautiful burl wood; below this is a compartment for food storage with sliders made of pierced carved hinoki wood and wire mesh for ventilation. Four kayaki (elm) wood drawers are positioned side by side towards the middle portion ...