Antique Japanese Edo Era c1840's Chobadansu Document Tansu Chest Keyaki Wood 30"

A rare Japanese tansu indeed with 18 drawers! Known as a chobadansu (document tansu chest), this chest was made in the late Edo era (c.1840) of keyaki (zelkova elm) drawer face and sugi (cryptomeria) case interior. 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 18 drawers for the storage of documents and tools.

This tansu chest is made with pegged-tenon open-mortise corner box joint construction. This chest has all its 180 year old deep rich patina. All drawers move easily without binding. All hardware is hand forged iron with curved handles and detailed lock plates. Forged iron side handles aid in transporting this chest even when fully loaded with documents.

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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 and marks consistent with it's long history. It measures 30" wide by 37" high by 21" deep (76 x 94 x 53 cm). A great piece of Japanese history and an interesting and very solid and functional piece of furniture.