Japanese compact tansu – Meiji period (c.1890-1910) #38

Japanese compact tansu – End of the Meiji period (circa 1890-1910) Dimensions: Length: 61 cm Depth: 24 cm Height: 25 cm. Style: Meiji. Materials and techniques: Sugi (Japanese cedar) Place of origin: Japan. Period: late Meiji. Date of manufacture: Circa 1890-1910. Condition: Good. Wear is consistent with age and use. Small Japanese storage tansu, made of solid wood, in a compact and unconventional format, featuring sliding doors, drawers, and open spaces, dating from the end of the Meiji period. Due to its reduced dimensions — 61 cm in length, 24 cm in depth, and 25 cm in height — this piece is designed to be used on a surface. This tansu served as a supplementary piece of furniture intended for storing small items, household utensils, documents, or personal effects. This typology responds to a logic of daily, flexible, and intimate use, very characteristic of late 19th-century Japan. The lower part incorporates sliding doors decorated with cut-out panels that hold original decorative paper with discreet floral patterns. This technique, common during the Meiji period, adds visual lightness and a poetic dimension without resorting to excessive ornamentation. The paper shows natural aging, consistent with its antiquity. The upper and side sections are organised around small drawers and open spaces, arranged in an asymmetrical yet balanced manner. The circular handles and metal fittings are original, made of dark iron, with uniform wear that is perfectly integrated into the whole. The wood exhibits a warm and deep patina, with softened edges, signs of use, and chromatic variations characteristic of the passage of time. With its straight grain, soft texture, and structural lightness, the piece appears to be primarily made of sugi (Japanese cedar). UNIQUE PIECE.