JAPANESE 150 YEAR OLD + EDO ERA 5 DRAWER BOW

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JAPANESE 150 YEAR OLD + EDO ERA 5 DRAWER BOW - TANSU

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JAPANESE 150 YEAR OLD + EDO ERA 5 DRAWER BOW - TANSU

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Sold Date: 03/13/2011
Channel: Online Auction
Source: eBay
Category: Ethnic, Folk & Native American Art

Known as a bow-dansu, this chest was used nearly 200 years ago (c. early 1800's) to hold clothing, documents and items of value. It has a unique five drawer arrangement with two longer top drawers which were secured by a locking bar (see picture 4)(bow in Japanese). There was a deeper narrower lower drawer and a hinged locking door to its right which held two smaller drawers. These smaller drawers were for money, valuables and documents. Case work and interiors are of Japanese cryptomeria wood (a kind of cedar) with the face being of Japanese kiri (paulownia) wood. The entire case (with exception of the back and bottom) were stained with persimmon tannin and covered with several hand applied coats of Japanese natural lacquer. This was its original finish and it remains a strong durable finish to this day (with a few minor losses and stains as seen in the enlarged pictures). Both of the locks as well as all the metal work is hand forged iron with a protective cover of burnt lacquer to protect the iron from deterioration. The original key to the locks was lost over a decade ago, so both locks have been neutralized and no longer require a key to open and close, which they do with the push of the "button" (see picture 5). There is one section of the bottom front (seen in picture 10) which was replaced due to deterioration of the original wood. It was replaced with wood similar to the original. The locking bar (see picture 6) has also been changed using wood and locks from the same period. With these exceptions, this pieces is all original from the late Edo Era. Overall it measures 23" wide by 21 1/2" high by 13" deep (59 x 53 x 33 cm). A great piece of Japanese history and a very interesting and functional piece of furniture.

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