Unusual Japanese hardwood low shop desk tansu. Original red lacquer finish with heavy iron plates and mounts. The table surface is hinged with three doors that open to interior compartments for papers and other merchant's effects. The middle door has a lady's portrait with calligraphy inscriptions detailing the piece is from a merchant business in "Ume-yashiki, Tokyo" with the merchant name "Shimbashi Kotatsu" and dated 25th year Meiji 1893. The right side of the chest holds four small drawers... Click for details

Antique Japanese 3 drawer gyosho bako or merchant's box, with original red lacquer finish. The top of the box has a carrying handle and the 3 drawers are opened by hirute shape iron pulls with square locks and corner hardware.

Dates Edo age c1800 Dimensions: 17" x 14" x 15 1/2" H

Unusual Japanese Kiri (paulownia) tansu with 8 drawers and a lift away panel opening to a shelved interior with spacious room. The 8 front drawers feature small round locks and warabite pulls. Original finish and condition.

Meiji period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 25" L x 12 1/2" D x 19 1/2" H

Rare Japanese gyosho bako or peddler's chest, constructed with Kiri (paulownia) wood in original dark brown/black lacquer finish. The tall, narrow box is two sections stacked held in place by iron latches on the sides. Each drawer front has square pulls and floral lock plates with brass accent hardware. The top drawer of the bottommost section has a secret hidden compartment for storing precious treasures. Unusual finish in wonderful original condition.

Edo period (1603-1868)... Click for details

Japanese small Kiri (paulownia) tansu, with pair of sliding panels concealing a shelved interior compartment, and five drawers of various size with metal pulls and locks. Original condition and finish.

Taisho period (1912-1925)

Dimensions: 24" L x 12" D x 19" H

Unique Japanese Keyaki (zelkova) hardwood kanban shop sign carved to resemble a calligraphy brush, with black, beige, and red pigment lacquer, hung by an iron hook and chain, with two character shop name carved in front of the brush handle. Original finish and patina consistent with age.
Hand forged 200 year old Japanese Iron mounts included with sale.

Early Meiji period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 36 1/2" L (46" L w/ chain) x 4" W

Antique Japanese tansu with 7 exterior drawers of various sizes. The lower right hand side has a safe box door with 2 small interior drawers. Made all of kiri (paulownia) wood. Hardware includes warabite shaped drawer pulls, heavy lock plates and hinges.

Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 23 1/2" high x 28 1/2" wide x 14 1/4" deep.

Rare Antique Japanese kuruma or wheeled tansu chest of drawers, constructed with solid quartered sawn Keyaki (zelkova) hardwood in original red lacquer finish, with decorative heavy iron plates and mounts. The upper section of the piece appears to hold two long drawers behind a locking bar, but is really four drawers. The lower section has two long drawers behind another locking bar, each bar with decorative plating. The safe box door opens to four small interior drawers with bold Keyaki grain,... Click for details

Japanese 3 section kimono tansu, made with Kiri (paulownia) wood in its original, natural finish. The top unit has three medium size drawers underneath two sliding panels. The left upper compartment with single shelf and the right upper compartment with the two smallest drawers below a shelf space. The two lower sections are comprised of 3 drawers each.

Taisho period (1912-1925)

Dimensions: 45 3/4" L x 16" D x 61" H

Antique Japanese single section mizuya (kichten chest). Made of hinoki (Japanese cypress) wood frame with Sugi (cedar) sides. The upper section have two pairs of sliding panels. The top panels are all wood while the lower panels have inset frosted glass. The bottom section of the chest has two large sliding panels with decorative cut outs . There are fourteen drawers of varying size surrounding the larger compartment of the bottom piece, opened by iron pulls.

Meiji Period... Click for details