Antique Japanese Wooden Drawer Chest / Edo Period, 1770s / Rare Inscribed Piece

Details

Description

This is a small wooden chest of drawers believed to date from the mid-Edo period, specifically the An'ei era (1772–1781) … Read more This is a small wooden chest of drawers believed to date from the mid-Edo period, specifically the An'ei era (1772–1781) of Japan. The drawer fronts are made of paulownia (kiri) wood, while the outer frame is built from Japanese cedar (sugi) — a combination that reflects the joinery practices of craftsmen working at the time.

The chest has a four-drawer configuration: two long, horizontal drawers on top, and on the bottom row, one smaller, nearly square drawer alongside one slightly larger horizontal drawer. Traces of box joinery are visible at the corners, showing simple yet careful woodworking technique. Each drawer is fitted with a round iron ring pull. There are small chips scattered across the drawer fronts, but because they blend closely with the surrounding surface color, they are not very noticeable at a glance — please refer to the detail photos for a closer look. The contrast between the deep, glossy black surface built up over centuries of use and the naturally light-colored paulownia and cedar revealed when the drawers are opened is part of what makes this piece so compelling.

What makes this chest truly special, however, is an inscription written in ink on the back of the innermost back panel of the lower-left drawer. It appears to read "An'ei [ ] nen, ni-gatsu" ("[ ]th year of An'ei, second month"), followed by a note indicating that it was made by a carpenter. The An'ei era corresponds to 1772–1781 in the Western calendar, placing this piece firmly in the mid-Edo period. It is thought to have originally been used as a till or counter chest in a shop or merchant's store. While it is not entirely unusual to find a date written somewhere on an old wooden chest — this is occasionally seen, most often on pieces from the late Edo period — it is extremely rare to come across one bearing a date reaching as far back as the 1770s. The fact that a craftsman's handwriting from that era survives intact makes this a genuinely valuable piece, not only as a functional antique but as a small piece of historical record.

Given its long history, the surface shows wear and scratches from years of use — but this is exactly what gives the piece its character. It is remarkable that it has survived in such good condition, and the drawers still slide open and closed smoothly today. Despite its small size, it carries a quiet dignity beneath its charming exterior. It would suit an entryway console, the top of a living room shelf, or a bedside table, whether used to hold small items or simply displayed as an object in its own right. With the weight of history behind it, yet able to settle quietly into a modern space, this is the kind of piece that can shift the atmosphere of a room the moment it is placed. We highly recommend this rare find — a piece that has survived intact from the mid-Edo period.

Size: W45.5cm × D30.7cm × H37cm
Weight: 8.1kg
Item No.: CA093 See less