Chest of drawers - Cedar - Japan
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Eight-drawer Tansu chest in solid Japanese cedar with a deep black lacquer finish, dating to 1950–1960, from Japan, in good condition with small signs of aging and blemishes, weighing about 35 kg, and featuring two horizontal rows of four drawers with original hand-forged iron ring pulls and mortise-and-tenon construction.
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Description from the seller
A bold, sculptural Japanese **eight-drawer Tansu chest** from the Meiji Period (ca. 1880–1910), constructed in solid **Japanese cedar (Sugi)** and finished in a deep, near-black lacquer (*kuro-urushi*) that has aged into a rich, characterful patina. The dark ground throws the cedar grain into strong relief — a Meiji-era aesthetic that prized contrast between dramatic surface treatment and natural wood texture.
The chest is laid out in **two horizontal rows of four drawers (4×2 = 8 drawers total)**, an arrangement traditionally associated with merchant accounting (*chōba-dansu*) or tea-utensil storage (*cha-dansu*) chests. Each drawer is fitted with an original **hand-forged iron ring drop pull (*warabite kanagu*)** — generously proportioned, hammered, and now beautifully oxidized — these handles are themselves a focal point of the piece.
### Construction & Materials
- **Primary wood:** Japanese cedar (*Sugi / Cryptomeria japonica*) with deep black lacquer / dark stain finish
- **Hardware:** original hand-forged iron — ring drop pulls (*warabite*) on every drawer face, iron nails and corner reinforcements
- **Joinery:** traditional mortise-and-tenon construction, planked back boards
- **Interior:** drawer interiors in lighter cedar or paulownia (*Kiri*)
A bold, sculptural Japanese **eight-drawer Tansu chest** from the Meiji Period (ca. 1880–1910), constructed in solid **Japanese cedar (Sugi)** and finished in a deep, near-black lacquer (*kuro-urushi*) that has aged into a rich, characterful patina. The dark ground throws the cedar grain into strong relief — a Meiji-era aesthetic that prized contrast between dramatic surface treatment and natural wood texture.
The chest is laid out in **two horizontal rows of four drawers (4×2 = 8 drawers total)**, an arrangement traditionally associated with merchant accounting (*chōba-dansu*) or tea-utensil storage (*cha-dansu*) chests. Each drawer is fitted with an original **hand-forged iron ring drop pull (*warabite kanagu*)** — generously proportioned, hammered, and now beautifully oxidized — these handles are themselves a focal point of the piece.
### Construction & Materials
- **Primary wood:** Japanese cedar (*Sugi / Cryptomeria japonica*) with deep black lacquer / dark stain finish
- **Hardware:** original hand-forged iron — ring drop pulls (*warabite*) on every drawer face, iron nails and corner reinforcements
- **Joinery:** traditional mortise-and-tenon construction, planked back boards
- **Interior:** drawer interiors in lighter cedar or paulownia (*Kiri*)
Details
Era
1900-2000
Weight
35 kg
Country of origin
Japan
Material
Cedar
Condition
Good condition - used with small signs of aging & blemishes
Height
80 cm
Width
100 cm
Depth
42 cm
Estimated period
1950-1960
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