Vintage Japanese Small Hikidashi Drawer, 1946 - 1965 (Mid Showa) | SKU: 26M-492

Japanese Ko-Tansu Lacquer Chest | Vintage Jewelry Box & Desktop Organizer, 1946-1965 (Mid Showa), SKU 26M-492

A striking mid-century ko-tansu with bold tsuishu-style carved lacquer -- flying cranes over a honeycomb ground in vivid crimson and black.

A ko-tansu is a compact Japanese personal chest fitted with hikidashi (pull-out drawers), traditionally kept in a private room to store small valuables, correspondence, cosmetics, or keepsakes. This exceptional example goes well beyond the ordinary: its entire surface -- front, sides, top, and base -- is enveloped in a dramatic two-tone lacquer finish rendered in deep black over a brilliant red undercoat. A densely carved kikko (tortoiseshell hexagonal) pattern textures every panel, while a continuous scene of soaring cranes sweeps boldly across the drawer fronts in high relief, the red lacquer glowing through the incised black to create a vivid contrast rarely seen on pieces of this scale. Each drawer is fitted with a slender bar pull in black lacquer, flush and discreet against the richly worked surface. The drawer interiors reveal a warm natural wood substrate -- likely kiri (paulownia) -- consistent with quality Japanese tansu construction of the postwar era. This is a genuine piece of vintage Japanese craft that commands attention as both furniture and art object.

Compact enough to sit on a dresser top, desk, or bookshelf, this ko-tansu translates effortlessly into modern living. Use it as a jewelry box and accessory organizer in a bedroom, a desktop catchall for stationery and small tools in a home office, or a bold living room accent to display alongside other collector pieces. Its graphic crane motif and lacquer palette make it an ideal conversation piece in a Japandi-style or wabi-sabi-inspired interior, and its manageable size makes it a truly unique housewarming gift or gift for collectors of Japanese antique furniture.

• Origin: Japan
• Era: 1946-1965 (Mid Showa)
• Material: Kiri (paulownia) wood with black-over-red carved lacquer finish; black lacquer bar pulls
• Use: Personal storage chest (ko-tansu) for small valuables, cosmetics, or keepsakes
• Modern Use: Jewelry box and accessory organizer; desktop storage for a home office; decorative living room or bedroom accent
• Features: Multiple hikidashi (pull-out drawers) spanning the full width; all-over kikko (honeycomb) carved lacquer ground; bold high-relief crane motif in crimson and black continuous across drawer fronts; slender black lacquer bar pulls on each drawer; warm natural wood drawer interiors; flat plinth base
• Dimensions: 12"W x 8 1/2"D x 10"H
• Condition: Excellent

A rare and boldly decorative piece of Japanese antique furniture -- handcrafted lacquerwork that brings the drama of mid-century Japanese craft to any 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.