Antique Japanese 2 section 3 ft. Mizuya (kitchen tansu) made with Hinoki (cypress) and Sugi (cedar) wood, with Keyaki (elm) hardwood burl panels. The upper section holds two open compartments behind sliding door panels with chrysanthemum pulls, the lower pair also decorated by horizontal carved panels with floral carvings, and three small drawers below. The lower section is the largest compartment for storage with no shelving behind two large sliding doors with slats...

Antique Japanese chobako (small merchant's box) made with Sugi wood (cedar). Original condition. With squared iron handles on flared backplates. Two drawers are fitted with round iron locks.

Edo period (1603-1868)

Dimensions: 25" L x 15" D x 10.25" H

Antique Japanese zenibako, or money box, made with Kuri wood (chestnut) and Sugi wood (cedar). Features on this piece include a top hinged lid with a shallow compartment for the storage of accounting papers, cut with slots for money to be dropped into the locked drawer below it. To the left are two deeply recessed compartments. A long drawer and a safe box in front of the chest provide even more secure storage. Original condition...

Antique Japanese 2-section isho tansu (clothing chest of drawers) made of Kiri (paulownia) wood, natural front drawers and red lacquer top and sides. The lockplates of every drawer are shaped as large open fans, and the corner hardware of each drawer are fan-shaped as well. The other hardware implements are decorative with pierced motifs.

Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 33.5" L x 16.75" D x 40" H

Antique Japanese Buddhist abbot's oxbow arm folding chair. Made of red and gilt lacquer hardwood, with seat made of leather. The backrest has gilt lacquered panels with geometric motif carvings and pierced lingzhi carving, the reverse of the backrest marked with a triple mokko-mon (family crest). The edges of the chair are decorated in metal plating incised with motifs of chrysanthemums.

Edo Age 19th century Dimensions: 32" L x 20" D x 37" H

Antique Japanese unusually small kannon biraki (hinged doors) tansu chest made of kiri (paulownia) wood. The top portion of the chest opens to reveal a compartment with a single shelf. The bottom portion has two exterior drawers. Elaborate iron hardware is like that of a larger kannon biraki chest and includes heavy hinges and cross bracing on the doors with an ivy leaf mon (crest).

Edo Period (early 1800's)

Dimensions: 16 1/4" high x 19 1/4" wide x 10" deep.

A rare and unusual Japanese cho bako ("cho" meaning small and "bako" meaning box). Made of Keyaki (elm) hardwood with its original lacquer finish. The upper region of the piece holds a pair of narrow sliding door panels, with a center locking pin to hold them securely shut, and vertical slats of branches...

Antique Japanese single section isho tansu (clothing chest of drawers). Made with Kiri (paulownia) and Sugi (cedar) woods with original finish. The chest holds 5 long drawers and 3 smaller side drawers, with hirute drawer pulls and rectangular iron locks.

Meiji period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 44.5" L x 16.75" D x 30.25" H

Antique Japanese small chest with drawers, called a dibukuro. Traditional Japanese homes hold a tea ceremony room with a tokonama, or a recessed closet/alcove in which pieces of artistic appeal would be displayed such as hanging scrolls, pottery, okimono and ikebana floral arrangements. The dibukuro would be seated on the floor of the tokonama. (shown in detail photos)...

Antique Japanese Choba Tansu (merchant chest of drawers) from the Kyoto region. The chest has an open shelved compartment, with a money slot on the bottom shelf that drops into the drawer below. With black iron Warabite style handles on each drawer, 3 of which also have squared lock plates with Chrysanthemum studs...

Antique Japanese tansu from the Nigata area of Japan. Most likely used by a merchant for storage. The 9 drawers are in three rows with the shallowest drawers along the top and gradually getting deeper toward the bottom of the chest. The hardware is all of iron and includes elegant hirute shaped drawer pulls, fan shaped lock plates and corner bracing. The wood is paulownia (kiri) wood.

Edo Period (early 1800's)

Dimensions: 19 1/2" high x 31" wide x 19" deep.

Antique Japanese small Kiri (paulownia) wood bar tansu, with five front drawers opened by squared iron handles. Its three mid front drawers are kept secure by a locking bar with decorative iron plates. The side of the chest has a safe door, with pierced iron hardware. The safe door opens to reveal three more small drawers inside.

Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 23" L x 12" x 24" H

Antique Japanese kannon biraki (opening door) isho tansu (clothing chest) in 2 sections. Made with kiri (paulownia) wood front with sugi (cryptomeria) wood top and sides. The top section has a pair of hinged doors which open to reveal two large drawers. The bottom section has two large drawers and a safe box in the lower right hand side. The hinged safe box door opens to reveal two small interior drawers, one of which has a hidden compartment...

Antique Japanese 2-section kaidan tansu, or step/stair chest of drawers. Made of solid Keyaki (elm) hardwood, the bold woodgrain is well-complimented by the original deep red lacquer finish and heavy iron hardware. With original set of keys.
Exhibited at the Prestigious SF Fall Art and Antique show, 2017.

Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 55" L x 26 1/8" D x 80" H

Antique Japanese tansu from the Iwayado area. Made with Sugi (cypress) wood frame and dramatic Keyaki (elm) burl front panels, in original red/orange lacquer finish. The extensive iron plating is incised into flowers and Kiri leaves; The top drawer features a large flying Phoenix as its lock plate...

Antique Japanese small tansu from the Sakata region, with original red lacquer top and sides and black lacquer front. The top and bottom drawer are decorated by large iron lock plates, incised with a bamboo forest, blossoming cherry trees, and small flying birds. The corner hardware on the face of each drawer also show floral motifs.

Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 33.75" L x 15.5" D x 18.75" H

Antique Japanese small tansu from the Sakata region, with original red lacquer top and sides and black lacquer front. The top drawer's iron lock plate is incised with the image of a flying crane and pine branches; The bottom drawer's lock is incised with an ancient turtle with many tails. This imagery represents good health and longevity. Key is included.

Meiji Period (1868-1912) Dimensions: 32.75" L x 15.75" D x 20" H

Japanese 2-section isho tansu (clothing chest of drawers), from the Kyoto area. The chest is made with Sugi (cypress) wood in the original glossy red lacquer finish a lacquering process know asiro-urushi (色漆), literally "color lacquer"and has 11 drawers with charming heart-shaped keyholes and black iron warabite pulls. The top section houses a large open compartment behind two Keyaki (elm) sliding panels in a dark finish, with black lacquer frames...