Antique Japanese Chobadansu c.1840 Edo Era Document Tansu Chest Sugi Wood

Known as a chobadansu (document tansu chest), this chest was made in the late Edo era (c.1840) of hinoki (cypress) face and sugi (cryptomeria) case with kiri (paulownia) interiors. The choba - dansu was a special chest used to store document, accounts, money and other valuables for a business enterprise. This chest has has a very unique configuration of 8 drawers 2 doors and 11 special openings for the storage of documents and tools (see picture 1).

This tansu chest is made with pegged-tenon open-mortise corner box joint construction (see picture 11). This chest has all its 180 year old deep rich patina. All drawers and doors move easily without binding. The two doors lift out easily for open display. All hardware is hand forged iron with square handles and detailed lock plates.  All locks are still operable with included keys (see pictures 5 & 6). Forged iron side handles aid in transporting this chest even when fully loaded with documents (see picture 7).

This chest has a century and a half old original warm aged patina and, having been used lovingly for over a century, it remains in very fine original antique condition and should serve one well for another century of use. There are some areas of past stains, most notably on the top (see picture 10). It measures 29" wide by 30 1/2" high by 18 1/2" deep (74 x 77 x 47 cm). A great piece of Japanese history and an interesting and very solid and functional piece of furniture.