Description

A rare antique Japanese choba biraki tansu (merchant’s chest). Made of keyaki (zelkova elm) wood with burled wood on the front. The top portion of the chest has a large full-width drawer. On the right side is vertical row of four small drawers. Two hinged doors open to a shelf and two small interior drawers. And two medium sized drawers line the bottom of the chest.
Hand forged iron hardware includes warabite handles, round lock plates and cross bracing on the doors.

Originating in the Tohoku region of Japan, this chest was used by a merchant to store books and business records, valuables, writing brushes, an inkstone, and paper. Used as a form of business advertising, the merchant would have displayed this chest with pride in a prominent location of the store to showcase the success and longevity of the business.

Age: Edo Period (1603-1867)

Dimensions: 29 3/4″ high x 27 1/2″ wide x 14 3/4″ deep