An antique Japanese Choba Tansu (merchant chest) made of Keyaki (Zelkova), Suginoki (Cryptomeria) and Kirinoki (Paulownia) woods. Original Urushi lacquer front with a wiped lacquer technique used on the body. Hand made iron fittings with the round sliding door handles featuring an incised design of a lucky Pine tree and an old Minka (thatched roof Japanese home). The bottom hinged door opens to reveal a set of 3 small drawers.

Merchant chests provided two important key elements for the... Click for details

Japanese woven bamboo five tiered basket emulating chinese style with whimsical lacquer overlay of scholar objects and buddhist objects, including a mirror with inscriptions, a plaque with the god of scholarship, a bird, seal with deer on top, water bucket with neolithic chinese designs, paste seal box, religious gong, a sun emblem, a split bamboo handle with tightly knotted with gold painted designs, all interior compartments in black lacquer.

Los Angelus Collection
Meiji Period... Click for details

Pair of antique Japanese bronze candlesticks modeled as guardians with cartouche on bottom. Dates from Meiji period.

Provanence East Coast Estate
Meiji Age (1868-1912)
Size H 10 3/4" x W 3 1/2" x D 2 3/4"

A very rare antique Japanese Kusuri Tansu (medicine chest) made of Kirinoki (Paulownia) and Hinoki (Cypress) woods. All original finish and bronze hardware. Doe skin drawer pulls used to prevent drawer fronts from marring when the chest is closed. Consisting of 168 small upper drawers to house herbs and medicines with 9 drawers below varying in size used to organize pharmaceutical records, business papers. and writing tools. Of these 9 drawers, the right hand small drawer houses a Suzuri... Click for details

A rare antique Japanese Edo era Choba Tansu (merchant chest) made of Keyaki (Zelkova), Kurinoki (Chestnut) and Suginoki (Cryptomeria) woods. Sliding doors in front with various small drawers and shelves that originally store merchant documents, books and other store related items.

The merchant chest served two purposes in a business. The first was its basic utilitarian function of serving as a business records storage and safe for keeping money and valuables. The second less obvious... Click for details

Large Japanese Zenga calligraphy scroll of the character 'KOTOBUKI', or long life, longevity. Bold, large brush strokes showing great intensity. Signed and sealed with three red seals by the artist. Small black kanji translates with the first 4 characters: 日光門主 Nikkō Monzu, who was a very high-ranking monk of imperial lineage at the temple, Rinnō-ji, in Nikkō. The seals used by monk show his rank and importance. The bottom left seal in red says: 日光山 輪王寺 門跡印... Click for details

Japanese antique giver of joy diety elephants, Shingon and Tendai sects, made of boxwood male and female elephants-headed with human body holding another. Well-carved, with inlaid eyes, hollow body. Giver of joy and prosperity. Small restoration.

Edo Period, circa 1800s
Size: Height 4" Width 2 1/4" Depth 2"

A rare antique Japanese Niigata Kiri Children's Kasane Tansu (stacking chest on chest) made entirely of Kirinoki (Paulownia) wood. It features a stylized Chrysanthemum design on each plate which represents the Mon or family crest of the original owner and Gumbai handles. The iron fittings were all hand made and the chest was constructed using straight dovetail joinery and hardened wooden nails.

These children's chests are not often seen in Japan. This is because they were not made in... Click for details

An antique Japanese Kiri Kasane Tansu (stacking chest on chest) made entirely of Kirinoki (Paulownia) wood. Using hand made iron fitting and Kakute style handle pulls. Construction includes straight dovetail joinery and hardened wood nails. Two drawers behind the small hinged Kobiraki door.

A secret box can be found hidden behind the bottom small drawer in back of the hinged door. This box also has a slide out top lid and a finger hole pull.

Age: Early Meiji period... Click for details

An antique Japanese Ko Tansu or personal storage chest made entirely of Kirinoki (Paulownia) wood. Hand made iron fittings and Warabite style handle pulls accent this chest. With a Kobiraki hinged door, it hides 3 small drawers behind. It was constructed using straight dovetail joinery and hardened wooden nails. It has an unusual depth in its size which was custom designed for its original owner well over a century ago.

Present day functions for this tansu would include using it as a... Click for details