Antique Japanese Black Lacquer Ko tansu With Distinctive Hardware And Stand, Meiji era 1868-1911

Antique Japanese Black Lacquer Ko tansu With Distinctive Hardware And Stand, Meiji era 1868-1911

A high-quality Meiji era Ko tansu draped in black lacquer and adorned with exceptional high-relief iron fittings -- one of the most decoratively ambitious examples of antique Japanese furniture you will encounter.

A Ko tansu is a compact Japanese personal storage chest, traditionally used to safeguard valuables, documents, or keepsakes within a domestic setting. This outstanding example dates to the Meiji era (1868-1911), a period when Japanese craftsmen combined centuries-old tansu-making tradition with a newly energized pride in decorative artistry. The body is constructed of sugi wood (Japanese cedar) finished in a lustrous black lacquer on the front panel and deep red-brown lacquer on the sides -- a two-tone treatment that lends the piece dramatic visual depth. What truly elevates this Ko tansu to collector status, however, is its ironwork: large, heavily cast iron lock plates and corner reinforcements display bold high-relief compositions of waves, clouds, blossoms, and mythological figures rendered with the confidence of a master metalsmith. Each pull handle is set within a cloud-shaped escutcheon, and iron strap hardware frames every edge and corner, giving the chest the gravitas of a fine Japanese antique furniture heirloom. The interiors of the pull-out drawers reveal clean, unfinished sugi wood -- fragrant and well-preserved after more than a century of use.

In a modern home this handcrafted Japanese chest makes an extraordinary statement piece wherever it lands. Raise it on its sleek contemporary black stand -- included but a later addition -- and it functions beautifully as an entryway console, offering discreet storage for accessories while commanding attention as living room accent furniture. Placed in a bedroom it serves as a low dresser or nightstand with old-world character that suits Japandi style and wabi-sabi aesthetic interiors equally well. The flat lacquered top provides a natural display surface for ceramics, a trailing plant, or a curated arrangement of objects. Its compact footprint also makes it an ideal home office storage cabinet or a dramatic focal point in a hallway. A truly unique housewarming gift or collector's acquisition for anyone drawn to the beauty of Meiji craftsmanship.

• Origin: Japan
• Era: Meiji, circa 1868-1911
• Material: Sugi wood (Japanese cedar) body; black lacquer front; red-brown lacquer sides; heavily cast iron hardware throughout
• Use: Personal storage of valuables, documents, and keepsakes in a Japanese household
• Modern Use: Entryway console with storage; bedroom low dresser or nightstand; living room accent cabinet
• Features: Multiple pull-out drawers with light sugi wood interiors; large high-relief cast iron lock plates depicting waves, clouds, blossoms, and mythological motifs; cloud-shaped iron escutcheons; rectangular iron bar pulls; iron corner reinforcements and edge strapping; iron ring handle on side panel; displayed on a later black wooden stand (included)
• Dimensions: 33 1/2"W x 16 1/4"D x 39 1/4"H
• Condition: Excellent

A rare and commanding piece of antique Japanese furniture -- the extraordinary ironwork alone makes this Meiji Ko tansu a once-in-a-lifetime find for the serious collector or design-forward home.

We use professional studio lighting to highlight the natural character of the wood. As a result, the tone may appear slightly warmer than under natural daylight.

All antique items are sold as-is. Each piece may exhibit signs of age, including scratches, wear, or minor imperfections. These are not considered defects but natural evidence of the item’s authenticity and age.