Japanese Edo Period c1850's Sugi Wood Chobadansu Merchant Chest Tansu 37"W

Japanese Sugi Wood Chobadansu Merchant Chest Late Edo Period Tansu

Japan, late Edo period, c. 1850s 

42.5"H × 37"W × 17"D (108 × 94 × 43 cm); approx. 65 lbs (29.5 kg)

A well-proportioned single-piece chobadansu (帳場箪笥) in straight-grained sugi (Japanese cedar), exhibiting the utilitarian construction of mid-nineteenth-century Japanese commercial furniture. The front presents two full-width drawers at the top, each fitted with a pair of warabite (bracken) pulls and a rectangular iron hasp lock plate centered with a floral-form boss. The broad middle register holds two sliding hikido doors with horizontal milled sugi slat panels, secured by a handsome elongated iron latch plate with cusped trefoil finial — a hardware form with notable decorative refinement. A deep full-width bottom drawer, also warabite-handled and lock, completes the front elevation. Side panels are articulated in horizontal frame-and-panel registers, lending this piece a structural sophistication beyond basic commercial tansu construction. Interior of the sliding bay is plain sugi throughout, with generous storage volume.

Condition: Consistent with age and working use. Drawer fronts and top panel show honest surface patina, scratching, and wear. Some minor loss or chipping to molding at one corner (visible in photos). Iron hardware retains original surface with appropriate oxidation; locks present, keys not included. Structurally sound; drawers and sliding doors operate correctly.

A handsome and functional example of late Edo chobadansu, with above-average hardware quality and a refined silhouette suited to contemporary interiors.