Small Japanese chest of drawers in ash with five drawers – Japan, Shōwa period, around 1965

Small Japanese chest of five drawers made from Japanese ash (Fraxinus mandshurica var. Japonica), crafted in Japan during the mid-Shōwa period. A compact piece for a tabletop or surface, halfway between an auxiliary chest and a kotansu desk, representative of 20th-century Japanese domestic furniture in its most understated interpretation. During the central decades of the 20th century, Japanese workshops produced many small chests designed to organise personal items: sewing threads, stationery, discreet jewellery, glasses, keys. The vertical proportion and graduated drawers extend the tansu tradition, but in a more serene and minimalist language, close to the modern Japanese taste that spread after the war. It is constructed with fronts and sides made of Japanese ash and plywood reinforcements, featuring five graduated drawers assembled using traditional joinery. The handles are integrated into the wood itself, carved into the drawer front, with no visible hardware — a solution that reflects the craftsmanship of the most understated Japanese workshop. The base slightly rises on a low bracket plinth that visually separates the piece from its support. The patina is warm and very uniform: the ash retains its laid-back honey tone, with the vertical grain fully readable and a soft matte sheen that use has polished over time. The fronts show slight signs of wear at the carved handles, characteristic of the passage of time, and the structure remains completely sound. Details. Dimensions: Width: 30 cm Depth: 34 cm Height: 41 cm. Style: Japanese domestic tansu, Shōwa period. Materials and techniques: Japanese ash (Fraxinus mandshurica var. Japonica) and plywood reinforcement; five graduated drawers; handles carved directly into the fronts. Place of origin: Japan. Period: Mid to late Shōwa period. Date of manufacture: Circa 1950–1979. Condition / Observations: Natural patina.