Vintage Japanese Kimono tansu, Mid Showa 1946-1965 | SKU: 26J-G073

Vintage Japanese Kimono tansu, Mid Showa 1946-1965 | SKU: 26J-G073

A handsome mid-century Isho tansu with floral brass hardware and original key -- generous storage in a warm, honey-toned hardwood finish.

A Kimono tansu is a traditional Japanese clothing chest designed to store neatly folded garments -- its wide, shallow drawers sized perfectly to keep fabric unwrinkled and accessible. This example, crafted during Japan's mid-Showa reconstruction era, represents the period's characteristic blend of Japanese tansu tradition with subtle Western influence: a clean rectilinear silhouette, gently rounded top corners, and a flat plinth base replace older stacked-box forms, while the warm, straight-grained hardwood -- possibly sen (castor aralia) or a related Japanese hardwood -- retains the understated beauty prized in handcrafted Japanese vintage furniture. The drawer fronts display a fine, consistent linear grain, and the interiors are generously proportioned for folded clothing. Most charming are the cast brass drop handles, each bearing a delicately painted floral motif -- a hallmark of quality Showa-era craftsmanship -- alongside original barrel-lock hardware with its period key still attached.

In today's home, this vintage Japanese tansu chest transitions effortlessly into a bedroom dresser, offering substantial clothing storage with far more character than modern flat-pack alternatives. Its near-square proportions and warm amber tone make it equally at home as an entryway console, styled with a mirror above and a ceramic bowl on top for keys and accessories. Design-forward buyers will appreciate how naturally it slots into a Japandi style or wabi-sabi aesthetic interior, where honest materials and quiet craftsmanship are the point. The broad flat top is ready-made for a lamp, trailing plant, or curated shelf display in a living room accent role. A rare and genuinely useful piece, it also makes a thoughtful housewarming gift for collectors or Japanophiles who appreciate furniture with a story.

• Origin: Japan
• Era: 1946-1965 (Mid Showa)
• Material: Straight-grained Japanese hardwood, possibly sen (castor aralia); cast brass hardware with floral enamel detail; original lock and key
• Use: Storing folded kimono and everyday clothing; traditional bedroom tansu chest
• Modern Use: Bedroom dresser and clothing storage; entryway console with display surface; living room accent chest in Japandi or minimalist decor
• Features: Multiple drawers in a tiered layout -- a row of smaller upper drawers above a series of wider, full-width lower drawers; each drawer fitted with a brass semi-circular drop pull bearing a painted floral motif; central locking mechanism with original key present; gently rounded top corners; flat plinth base; clean, unadorned drawer fronts with fine linear grain
• Dimensions: 39 1/2"W x 17 1/2"D x 39 1/2"H
• Condition: Excellent

A versatile and beautifully preserved piece of vintage Japanese furniture -- equally at home as a bedroom dresser, entryway console, or statement accent in any modern interior.

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 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.