A clean and classic antique Meiji period Japanese kiri tansu chest featuring two full-width drawers crafted from solid paulownia (kiri) wood, prized in Japan for its light weight, dimensional stability, and natural resistance to insects and moisture. This chest showcases the warm, straight grain of kiri with a soft natural tone and subtle age character throughout. Hand forged iron hardware.

Age: Meiji period (1868 - 1912)

Dimensions: 36" wide 19" high x 17" deep

An original elegant Japanese Edo-period lacquer stand, decorated with mother-of-pearl (raden) inlay and delicate gold maki-e details. The piece features a gracefully arched double-support form rising from a scalloped base, culminating in an upper tray with pierced floral patterns and scrolling borders. The surface shimmers with inlaid fragments of abalone shell, creating iridescent motifs of blossoms, geometric designs, and symbolic patterns that catch the light in tones of green, violet, and... Click for details

Antique Japanese single section low tansu, constructed with hinoki (Japanese cypress) frame and striking keyaki (zelkova) burl wood panels. The warm, honey-toned hinoki provides a refined architectural frame for the highly figured keyaki, whose swirling burl grain creates a mesmerizing organic pattern—hallmarks of Japan’s finest cabinetmaking tradition.
The sliding doors open smoothly to reveal ample interior storage, likely designed for textiles or household goods. Original iron... Click for details

Japanese antique single section low tansu chest, constructed as a half-section configuration, originally part of a larger stacking chest but designed here as a versatile, stand-alone unit. Crafted from keyaki (zelkova) drawer fronts framed in sugi (cedar), the piece displays the natural swirling grain of the wood, enhanced by a warm, honeyed patina developed over time.

The chest features multiple drawers of varying sizes, fitted with forged iron pulls and lock plates, as well as a... Click for details

Japanese two-section todana storage tansu, dating to the Meiji period, constructed from keyaki (zelkova) and sugi (cedar) woods with a rich reddish-brown finish. This form of cabinet was traditionally used for storage in merchant houses and samurai residences, offering both functional organization and an elegant presence.
The tansu is divided into two stacking sections for ease of transport, each fitted with large sliding panel doors that conceal generous interior compartments. Rows of... Click for details

A fine Edo period (1603–1868) tansu chest, finished in rich black lacquer and reinforced with original hand-forged iron mounts. Compact and sturdy, this chest features a bold, rectilinear form softened by the lustrous lacquer surface, which still reveals traces of red lacquer beneath where age original worn finish.
The façade presents a central large drawer flanked by smaller drawers below, each fitted with rounded iron warabite-style pulls and lock plates with hammered detail. Heavy... Click for details

Japanese antique multi-drawer tansu from the Meiji era, constructed with richly figured burl wood drawer fronts that display swirling grain patterns unique to each panel. The chest features an impressive array of small drawers, originally designed for organizing and safeguarding precious goods. The top three drawers include fitted interior trays, suggesting use for incense storage or other finely sorted items, where both protection and accessibility were essential.
Each drawer is fitted... Click for details

Japanese antique two-section kasane tansu (chest on chest) for clothing from the Kyoto area. Made of kiri (paulownia) wood. The top section has sliding panels and a drop-in panel made of kuri (chestnut) wood and six small drawers of various sizes. The bottom section has eight drawers: three large full-width, two medium drawers and three small drawers.
Hardware is made of iron and includes round lock plates and moko shaped drawers pulls.

Age: Early Meiji Period... Click for details

A Japanese antique kimono isho tansu in three stacking sections. The top section has sliding panels over a horizontal row of three small drawers. The sliders open to a shelf with two small interior drawers on the right hand side and a simple shelf on the left. The middle section has large hinged doors which open outward to reveal three full-width slide-out trays originally used for folded kimonos. The bottom section has two full-width drawers. The tansu is made of kiri (paulownia) wood with... Click for details

Japanese antique long getabako (shoe storage) tansu. A large compartment with a full-length shelf is closed with sliding door panels. The panels are made of kiri (paulownia) wood and framed with hinoki (Japanese cypress) wood. The large front frame of the tansu is made of heavy keyaki (elm) wood and the sides and top are made of sugi (cryptomeria) wood. The frames of the sliding door panels are lacquered black. The stand has been set on a custom stand of wood which has been lacquered black... Click for details