Antique Japanese tall merchant's box. Made all of kiri (paulownia) wood with iron hardware. The box has a total of 9 small drawers: upper drawers most likely held writing implements, tools or documents while the ink stains on the inside of the lower drawers reveal they once held ink, seals and ink stone...

Antique Japanese large 2-section storage tansu for an herbal merchant. Made of hinoki (Japanese cypress) wood, beautifully worn and patinated from years of use. The top section has a large compartment opened by two sliding panels and with two interior shelves. The bottom section has 38 drawers for storage of various herbs and wares. Every drawer has an iron hirute-shaped pull...

An antique Japanese Funa Tansu (Captain's Chest) made entirely of Kirinoki (Paulownia) wood. All original finish and hand made iron fittings. It was constructed using straight dovetail joinery and hardened wooden nails. The base has an original cross beam support that adds strength and durability to this chest...

Antique Japanese kaidan (step tansu). Made in two stacking sections and consisting of 7 steps with storage on one side. The top section has two drawers, a small compartment with a drop-in door on the very top and a compartment opened by sliding panels with vertical slats. The lower section has two drawers and a large compartment opened by sliding panels also with vertical slats. Made of sugi (cryptomeria) wood with reddish lacquer finish on the front. The steps have a natural finish...

An antique Japanese Tansu chest called Todana made of Kiri (Paulownia) and Sugi (Cryptomeria) woods. All original hand forged iron hardware including the Hikute style handles with an Urushi lacquer finish. Two sliding doors open to a storage area with a removable shelf where books were stored. Five drawers below provide additional storage and function.

Age: Meiji Era (1880-1890)

Dimensions: 26 1/4" Wide by 22" High by 11" Deep

An antique Japanese Ko Bo Tansu (personal storage chest with locking bar) made of Suginoki (Cryptomeria) wood. Original Urushi lacquer finish. Bronze hardware features auspicious bamboo symbols and pine tree motif.

Small antique tansu such as this is very popular worldwide due to its functionality and ease of placement due to its small size...

An antique Japanese Sakata Kotansu (Japanese personal storage chest) made entirely of Kirinoki (Paulownia) wood. All original hand forged iron hardware and Urushi lacquer finish. 5 Drawers with 3 drawers secured by a locking bar. Hinged door behind which lie 3 small drawers where valuables were kept. Constructed using thick wood with straight dovetail joinery and hardened wood nails. A beautiful elegant chest that is perfect for a night stand or a side table...

A pair of antique Japanese folding keyaki doors with iron mounts. The door is constructed with mortise and tenon joints. The panels are divided into 7 parts framed with carved decoration and hinged with iron mounts. The carved decoration is finely painted with polychrome mineral pigment with gold gilt accents. The subject matter of the temple doors is a scrolling lotus motif and 8 phoenixes.
The phoenix represents power sent from the heavens to the Empress...

A rare antique Japanese Sakata Kasane Tansu (chest on chest) made of Kirinoki (Paulownia) wood. All original thick gauge hand made iron hardware with beautiful Chrysanthemum knobs on the lock plates. Constructed using thick solid Paulownia wood for the drawer fronts, the case was made using traditional dovetail joinery with all parts secured by hardened wooden nails...

An antique Japanese Todana Tansu similar to the western sideboard cabinet or chest made of Momiji (Maple) for the drawer fronts and frame and Keyaki (Zelkova) panels for the sliding doors. with the interior made of Japanese Suginoki (Cryptomeria) wood. Original hand made iron hardware including the Warabite handles. Floating panels for the front, sides and top to prevent the wood from cracks from expansion and shrinkage. Constructed using through mortise and tenon Japanese joinery for strength a...

Antique Japanese cho bako made of keyaki (elm) wood with beautiful grain and original translucent lacquer finish, iron hardware including edge bracing, lock plates, hirute shaped drawer pulls on the front, warabite shaped handles on the sides. Five drawers with one drop in panel and hidden compartment. Comes with one key. From the Sakata area of Japan. Edo Period. Size: 17 1/2" high x 21 3/4" wide x 16 1/2" deep.

Antique Japanese nagamochi karuma storage trunk. Made of kiri (paulownia) wood and solid Keyaki hardwood wheels with iron hardware and mounts. A large high relief embossed iron locking plate in the form of a phoenix created a lock and latch system on the front of the trunk. The phoenix bird represents justice and Sun obedience. Untouched and original condition, the wood is treated with a dry lacquer finish.

The Trunk also shows the family crest composed of iron mounts on the sid...

An antique Japanese Gyosho Tansu (peddler's chest) made of Kiri (Paulownia) wood. All original hand forged iron hardware. Two hinged doors each hiding five drawers storing inventory for the peddler. Bottom rings used to rope the tansu for carrying it about. Constructed using straight dovetail joinery and hardened wooden nails.

Age: Edo Period (1800-1850)

Dimensions: 13 1/4" Wide by 40 1/2" High by 23 3/4" Deep

An antique Japanese 2 section Gifu Choba Tansu (merchant chest) made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Hinoki (Cypress) woods. All original hand forged iron hardware including the Hikute handles and the full moon lock plates. Upper section has 2 sliding doors with spacious storage behind and two side by side drawers below. The bottom section has 5 drawers of varying sizes, a large storage space covered by 2 sliding doors, a hinged security door that hides 2 small drawers where valuables were ke...

An antique Japanese Nihon Matsu Kasane Tansu (stacking chest on chest) made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Suginoki (Cryptomeria) woods. Original Urushi lacquer finish and hand forged iron hardware which includes the Warabite handles, the lock plates with auspicious symbols, and the pine and plum Atari handle back stops. The symbols on the locks feature the traveler's cape and hat, the lucky treasure bag and the lucky fortune mallet. The hinged security door hides two small drawers where valuables we...

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...

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.

An antique Japanese Sendai Tansu made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Suginoki (Cryptomeria) woods. The front features a beautiful finish of natural Urushi lacquer with a top and sides finished in a wiped lacquer technique. The Sendai tansu showcases a wide top drawer lock plate that highlights an incised stylized Chrysanthemum blossom with its corresponding leaves. The Mokko style handles also feature Chrysanthemum back plates. It was constructed using straight dovetail joinery and hardened wood nai...