Tansu

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Japanese Tansu

This section contains both classic Antique Tansu, and our collection of Tansu-inspired contemporary pieces.

More on Tansu

Tansu represent a synergistic combination of three ancient Japanese trades - carpentry, joinery and metalworking. These artistic antiques have become increasingly popular with Western collectors in recent years, and because of their incredible craftsmanship and simple designs they are also timeless and functional pieces of furniture.

Craftsmanship

Typical of Japanese design, the focus was put on craftsmanship and the power of natural materials. Because of the multipurpose nature of Japanese rooms, almost all tansu were modular, allowing for easy transportation. They were built to last centuries and when not being used were stored in the stone safe houses that was connected to most homes. Tansu were one of the few items that were intended as a permanent fixture of the home (unlike Shoji which were designed with transience in mind).

The carpenter would hand-build each of the pieces, paying careful attention to the harmony of the wood grain. Tansu were often crafted out of more than one type of wood - a strong yet flexible plain sawed wood for a sturdy frame, and an expressive quarter sawed wood for drawer fronts and sliding door panels.

The joiner would then join the pieces using ancient variations of mortise and tenon, dovetail and finger joints. Unlike modern day cabinetry there was no use of glue, nails, or shoddy construction. This is one of the reasons so many tansu are still available today, and are likely to last centuries more.

The final piece of the puzzle was the iron worker. Hardware had symbolic significance and the styles varied region to region. Some tansu exhibited family crests, some had clean and simple designs, while others were elaborate chests coated in stylized iron. Many of the techniques were learned from Korean metal workers that were prisoners from the war. This was expanded upon by Daikichi and Kihei who started an elaborate iron work movement that has touched much of the world.

Types of Tansu

Tansu came in several different styles and sizes. They were mostly owned by successful merchants in the Meiji Period (1868-1912) and represented a new era that shot merchants up a notch in class.

Probably the most famous tansu is the kaidan-dansu or step chest. These modular pieces were used to access loft and attic spaces in homes. They would then quickly disperse when the tax inspector visited, leaving the upper level of their homes untaxed.

Mizuya Tansu (Kitchen Chests) became a staple in the home and the foundation of the kitchen. Also stacking pieces, they represented a new epoch in which people could afford to cook full meals and experiment with cuisine, as opposed to single pot cooking. They had large cavernous spaces that would be accessed through sliding doors, as well as several pull out drawers for storage of smaller items.

Isho Tansu (Drawer Chests) were dressers for clothing and kimono storage. These pieces were crafted from Kiri wood and many boasted incredible hardware designs. They were also the most popular wedding gift in Japan at the time.

Choba Tansu (Merchant's Document Chests) were commissioned for merchants to have elaborate hardware in order to impress his clients. They ranged in size from small document chests to large apothecary and inventory chests.

Funa Tansu (Sea Chests) were smaller chests that were built to endure arduous voyages in the captain's cabin of a ship. These pieces were reinforced with thick iron hardware and a false iron front for protection.

History

Tansu has a long history dating back to the Edo period (1603 - 1867), when it was a luxury available only to the richest samurai and noblemen. It didn't became a common staple to the Japanese lifestyle until the introduction of the Meiji period (1867-1912).

Japan had just been opened to the West after more than 250 years of civil war and isolation, and the merchants of the Meiji era helped propel the country into the industrial and economic giant it is today. Even so, Japan was a hierarchical society led by nobles - merchants although rich were not allowed to demonstrate their wealth, lest a passing prince take offense.

This was clearly indicated in sets of rules that addressed just about everything regarding style. A merchant's wife's kimono could only be made only from a certain group of fabrics, and only allowing a certain amount of color and pattern. This rule was also made for Tansu, restricting the amount and detail of iron work.

In response merchants had incredible tansu commisioned and they regarded these pieces privately. These fine Tansu would generally also be the containers for their fine silk kimonos and other forbidden luxuries.