Antique Japanese Tansu Storage Cabinet, 1900s

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Description

This antique Japanese tansu is a chōba-dansu (merchant’s chest) from the Meiji period, dating to around 1900–1910.

Dimensions: height 100 … Read more This antique Japanese tansu is a chōba-dansu (merchant’s chest) from the Meiji period, dating to around 1900–1910.

Dimensions: height 100 cm, width 91 cm, depth 45 cm.

It is a striking, atmospheric piece with a beautiful mix of materials: heavy iron hardware with a warm, timeworn oxidation, black lacquered fronts, and chestnut-red side and top panels. The layout is highly practical. At the top are three generous drawers, ideal for textiles, papers, tableware, tools, or all kinds of smaller items. The lower section adds further storage with three more compact drawers, including a lockable compartment behind a small door with two drawers inside—typical of this type of merchant’s chest, designed to keep valuable items discreetly stored away.

At the center is a removable locking bar, often referred to in Japanese as a “bō”: a vertical bar that, on some tansu, could secure the fronts. On this example the bar is present as a distinctive decorative detail, but it is purely decorative and does not function as a lock.

The cabinet is in good, well-aged condition, with visible signs of use and wear as shown in the photos. That patina is exactly what gives the piece its warmth: it feels immediately authentic and brings a calm, natural presence to a room.

In a contemporary interior, this tansu works beautifully as a compact sideboard, TV stand, or statement piece in an entryway, living room, or bedroom. Style it with ceramics, books, a lamp, or ikebana, and it instantly creates a strong focal point with plenty of practical storage behind it. See less