Antique Japanese Clothing Tansu Meiji Era c1880's Ishodansu 45"W

Antique Japanese Sugi Cedar Tansu Chest Iron Hardware Meiji 40"W

Antique Japanese 箪笥 Tansu — Sugi Cedar Chest of Drawers with Forged Iron & Brass Hardware, Meiji Period

Japan, Meiji Period (1868–1912)

Dimensions: 45″W × 17″D × 42.5″H (115 × 43 × 108 cm)

Weight: ~65 lbs / 29.5 kg

This antique Japanese tansu (箪笥) is constructed of warm sugi cedar, prized in traditional cabinetmaking for its straight grain, natural fragrance, and insect resistance. Configured in the classic stacked two-section kasane tansu format, it presents four full-width drawers below and a divided upper section combining a large drawer with a small double-door compartment. The honey-amber sugi wood has deepened beautifully with age.

Each drawer and door is fitted with hand-forged iron corner brackets, edge strapping, and butterfly hinges — hallmarks of the 指物 (sashimono) joinery tradition. Circular brass lockplates are engraved with fine floral motifs, set against dark iron hardware in a contrast quintessentially Meiji in its confident aesthetic. Handles on iron bail mounts are graceful in their simplicity.

During the Meiji era, regional tansu workshops flourished to meet growing demand from merchant and samurai households. Sugi cedar chests of this form were prized as bridal furniture and generational heirlooms, and the two-section stacking design made them practical for transport in a rapidly modernizing Japan.

The combination of forged iron strapping, engraved brass lockplates, and well-matched sugi grain across all drawer faces points to a skilled regional workshop. Tansu of this scale with all original fittings intact are increasingly difficult to source.

Condition: Very good antique condition; iron hardware shows natural oxidation; sugi surfaces display minor scuffs and age marks consistent with a century of use. All hardware appears original and intact. Restored with the conservative approach we've practiced for over four decades: retaining the authentic patina and aged character that collectors prize, while stabilizing and revitalizing wood and metal surfaces throughout.

A handsome, full-size Meiji tansu with original iron and brass fittings — a collector-quality piece equally at home in a curated interior or serious antiques collection.

Please contact us for details on shipping this tansu in two parts if not automatically handled at checkout. Calculated shipping may be for one piece. Multiply by two for final price.