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*)