Cabinet, Chest of drawers, Isho Dansu - Wood, Metal - ‘Three Friends of Winter’ 松竹梅 (Shôchikubai) - Fully restored & functional 2-section Japanese kiri&hinoki cypress cabinet of drawers (ishô dansu). - Japan - Taishô period / Early Shôwa period

Appealing and completely restored wooden ishô dansu 衣装箪笥 (cabinet of drawers) in two sections. Fully restored, cleaned and waxed. The front of the drawers is made of kiri wood, the sides and top are made of hinoki cypress wood. The exterior is only slightly varnished, giving it a tad warmer colour than its original hue. The thumb grips of the sliding doors are finely decorated with a ‘Three Friends of Winter’ motive 松竹梅 (Shôchikubai, literally pine, bamboo and plum) . The drawers are equipped with small circular lock plates decorated with the same motive, but in relief. Next to the lock plates are slender brass ‘fiddlehead-fern’-handles with gilded back plates. The upper part has a pair of sliding doors and three drawers. The lower part has two large drawers. The drawers are very deep and have a lot of volume, for easy storage. They run very smoothly. The sides are equipped with four retractable pole-carrying handles, one on each side of the upper and lower part for easy transport and “locking” the upper section to the lower part (please see pictures) . The back plates of these handles decorated with open-work stylized pine trees. The ishô dansu is in a very good condition. Please see the photos for reference. Delivered without the keys. Height 96. 3 cm, Width 94. 1 cm, Depth 32. 2 cm. Tansu is the traditional mobile storage cabinetry indigenous to Japan. Tansu were rarely used as stationary furniture. Consistent with Japan's minimalist aesthetic, traditional homes appeared rather empty. Tansu were not visible in the home except at certain times for specific situations. They were kept in kura (storehouses) adjacent to homes or businesses, in nando (storage rooms) , in oshiire (house closet alcoves) , on choba (raised platform area of a shop) and on some sengokubune (coastal ships) . Mobility was obtained through the use of attached wheels, iron handles for carrying or protruding structural upper rails for lifting. (From Wikipedia) When shipped we will add a certificate of authenticity.