Japanese Sado ishô dansu 衣装箪笥 (cabinet of drawers) with elaborate hardware

High-quality Sado wooden ishô’dansu (cabinet of drawers) in two sections. Heavily clad with decorative iron hardware featuring rich designs, and a little secret. Fully restored, cleaned and waxed. The drawer faces made from solid indigenous cedar (sugi) wood. Finished with a deep dark red lacquer with a great patina. The upper part is configured with two large drawers, and the bottom with four drawers of different sizes and a hinged door. Opening to three more small drawers. Behind these drawers lies a concealed storage compartment. As illustrated in the photos, the small drawer on the right is slightly shorter. Behind it is the hidden storage space, accessible only by removing the left drawer since the opening extends all the way to the back on that side. Each lock plate of the cabinet has its own refined reticulated design, showcasing; a pair of elder figures tending a pine tree (matsu) when the sun is rising on the horizon; two of the Seven Gods of Fortune...

Rare and richly adorned wooden Kyûshû ishô'dansu (cabinet of drawers) in a single section, on a plinth. Fully restored, cleaned and waxed. The drawer faces are made of indigenous k...

Remarkable wooden Kantô kannon’biraki ishô’dansu (cabinet of drawers with hinged doors) in two sections equipped with striking iron hardware. Fully restored, cleaned and waxed. The drawer fronts are made from indigenous kiri (paulownia) wood, and the frame from Japanese hinoki...

Amazing wooden Gifu chôba’dansu (merchant's document cabinet) with sturdy iron hardware and a well-hidden secret compartment. Fully restored, cleaned and w...

Pair of enticing cast iron chôshi (sake kettles) with a detailed lacquered lid, raised by three low feet. Its rotund body with a subtle embossed design of stylized symbols, like myth...

Beautiful, large two-panel byôbu (room divider) with a serene painting of red-leaved bamboo and rocks on an oxidized silver leaf background. Silver leaf continuously undergoes the process of oxidation, which creates a beautiful aged patina. On the left an inscription from a ‘Zekku’ poem by the Chinese poet Yang Zai (1271?1323), titled: Shan shang zhu (bamboo (painted) on a fan). Translated as : Why would people plant a lot of bamboos? The shade of a single culm is also beautiful. In the autumn night it rocks on the wind, And the fresh sound echoes in my dream. Dated: Shôwa, the year kôshin (1938). Signature unknown...

An antique Japanese Meiji period two-part tansu chest from the late 19th century with dark red lacquer, iron hardware, small safe and carrying handles. Created in Japan during the Meiji period (1868-1912), this wooden chest called an Isho-Dansu chest is a fine example of Japan's traditional mobile cabinetry. Tansus were portable chests...

A Japanese 19th century keyaki wood Sendai clothing tansu (Isho-dansu) with four drawers and elaborate handcut iron hardware. Born during the 19th century in the Sendai prefecture, t...

A Japanese Taisho period single section tansu clothing chest from the early 20th century in Isho-dansu style, with six drawers, safe, carrying handles and dark patina. Created in Japan during the Taisho period in the early years of the 20th century, this wooden Isho-dansu clothing chest features a linear silhouette perfectly complimented by a dark finish. The organized façade showcases six drawers (three large ones followed by two medium size and a smaller one), each fitted with iron hardware made of C-scroll handles and a central lock. The lower right section presents the safe, which opens to reveal additional drawers. Tansus were portable chests...

A Japanese Meiji period single section tansu clothing chest from the late 19th century in Isho-dansu style, with zebra wood, five drawers and carrying handles. Created in Japan during the Meiji period in the later years of the 19th century, this wooden Isho-dansu clothing chest features a linear silhouette perfectly complimented by a dark zebra wood grain. The organized façade showcases five drawers (three large ones followed by two smaller ones at the bottom), each fitted with iron hardware made of C-scroll handles and a central lock. Tansus were portable chests...

Japanese chest-on-chest for clothing storage (isho kasane-dansu) from Yonezawa, constructed of hinoki (Chaemaecyparis obtusa) and keyaki (Zelkova serrata) drawer fronts, traditional ...

This early 20th century Japanese clothing chest from Sado Island produced in the late Meiji Era. It consists of two pieces decorated with very ...