Vintage Japanese Cha Tansu Tea Chest, 1946 - 1965 (Mid Showa) | SKU: 26M-C042

Japanese Cha Tansu Tea Chest | Vintage Sideboard & Entryway Console, 1946-1965 (Mid Showa), SKU 26M-C042

A richly lacquered mid-century tea cabinet with parquetry inlay, sliding doors, and stacked drawers -- a rare surviving example of postwar Japanese antique furniture.

A cha tansu is a traditional Japanese tea chest designed to organize and store the utensils, canisters, and linens used in the daily preparation and service of tea. Popular in Japanese households from the Meiji era onward, these compact cabinets became increasingly refined during the postwar Mid Showa period as domestic craftsmanship adapted Western cabinet-making influences while retaining distinctly Japanese proportions and lacquerwork. This handcrafted Japanese cha tansu features a deep oxblood-red lacquered case -- likely sugi (cryptomeria) or a similarly light-grained softwood -- with warm honey-toned sliding door panels and pull-out drawers in a contrasting secondary wood. A decorative highlight is the small hinged cabinet door on the right side, inset with a finely executed basket-weave parquetry panel that adds visual refinement typical of quality mid-century Japanese craft. The open upper shelf with a pull-out tray insert, the lower sliding-door cabinet, the hinged side compartment, and the stacked pull-out drawers together create a thoughtfully organized storage system in a compact, upright footprint.

Today, this vintage Japanese cha tansu adapts beautifully to modern living. Its upright silhouette and generous storage make it ideal as a living room accent cabinet, an entryway console with hidden storage, or a compact sideboard in a dining room or home office. The warm two-tone woodwork and lacquered frame pair effortlessly with Japandi style interiors and wabi-sabi aesthetic spaces that prize quiet craftsmanship and natural materials. The open upper shelf works well for displaying books, ceramics, or small plants, while the drawers and cabinet sections handle everyday essentials with ease. A unique gift for collectors of Japanese antique furniture or Japanophiles furnishing a mindful home.

• Origin: Japan
• Era: 1946-1965 (Mid Showa)
• Material: Lacquered hardwood case (likely sugi or similar), secondary wood sliding panels and drawer fronts; basket-weave parquetry inlay panel; cast metal drawer pulls and recessed ring pulls
• Use: Cha tansu -- traditional Japanese tea cabinet for storing tea utensils, canisters, and service linens
• Modern Use: Entryway console with hidden storage; living room accent sideboard; home office organizer or bar cabinet
• Features: Deep oxblood-red lacquered case with rounded top edges; open upper shelf with pull-out tray insert; large sliding-door cabinet section with recessed metal ring pulls; hinged side cabinet door with decorative basket-weave parquetry inlay panel; multiple stacked pull-out drawers fitted with cast metal bail handles; clean unfinished wood drawer interiors in good condition
• Dimensions: 29 1/2"W x 11 1/2"D x 29 1/2"H
• Condition: Excellent

A striking piece of handcrafted Japanese antique furniture -- equal parts functional storage and wabi-sabi living room accent for the modern 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 vintage and 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.