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Edo Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

EDO STYLE

Edo furniture was created during a flourishing time for the decorative arts owing to the stability of the Tokugawa shogunate rule in Japan. Spanning from 1603 to 1867, this era of peace and economic growth supported artistic advancements in lacquer, woodblock printing, porcelain and other artisanal trades. Because the country was largely isolated, there was little outside influence, leading to centuries of exceptional attention to the design of its furnishings and the quality of its traditional arts.

Unlike during the Meiji period that followed, with an increase in domestic and international markets, furniture during the Edo period was predominately commissioned by the ruling class, although people from across social groups benefited from the burgeoning metropolitan hubs for artisanal trades. For instance, Kyoto became a major center for lacquer art. Most furniture pieces were made from wood such as cedar or ash, including the era’s sashimono cabinets, which involved fine joinery and were rooted in the Heian period.

Sashimono cabinets, which were built by master craftsmen in a range of different wood types owing to the various trees that populate Japan, occasionally featured a stack of slender drawers as well as sliding doors. They were popular with everyone from samurai to kabuki actors. Tansu storage chests crafted from wood with metal fittings were also common in Edo-period homes. Some were designed to be easily portable while others were made to double as staircases.

Painted folding screens, called byōbu, were also fashionable, with Japanese artists inspired by nature, literature and scenes of history and daily life to create vivid works. In Buddhist temples and the palatial homes of the aristocratic class, fusuma, or large sliding panels, would sometimes be adorned with gold or silver leaf. These dividers allowed interiors to change throughout the day, closing in small spaces for personal use or reflecting candlelight to illuminate communal spaces after dark.

Find a collection of Edo tables, lighting, decorative objects, wall decorations and more furniture on 1stDibs.

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Style: Edo
Japanese Antique Black Cabinet / Japanese Bandaji / 1800-1860s / Wabi-Sabi
Located in Iwate-gun Shizukuishi-cho, Iwate Prefecture
This is a storage furniture used in the countryside of Japan. The main material is cedar, and it was used in the Tohoku region. It was probably made as storage furniture for grains a...
Category

19th Century Japanese Antique Edo Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

Materials

Wood, Cedar, Straw

Japanese Antique Large Kuruma Tansu 1800s-1860s / Cabinet Sideboard Wabi Sabi
Located in Chōsei District Nagara, JP
This is an old, large, Japanese-made Kuruma-Tansu. Made in the Edo period (1800s-1860s), it is a powerful and dignified piece, the culmination of the skills and aesthetic sense of th...
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Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Edo Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

Materials

Iron

1850s-1870s Edo Japanese antique Wheeled Trunk Kuruma Nagamochi, Kuruma Tansu
Located in 常陸大宮市, JP
New finds from Kominka (old traditional style house) in Ibaraki pref., Japan. There're several type of wheeled Tansu - "Kuruma Dansu" in Japanese - and...
Category

Late 19th Century Antique Edo Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

Materials

Wood, Cedar

19th Japanese antique Urushi small Tansu box chest of drawers wabi sabi mingei
Located in 常陸大宮市, JP
from Tohoku area, Japan. Japanese antique small box tansu chest of drawers, Kohikidashi, made of Sugi Cedar. Product of circa 1850s-1870s (late Edo to early Meiji era), estimate from...
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Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Edo Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

Materials

Wood, Cedar

1860s-80s Japanese antique wabi sabi Urushi mid Tansu chest of drawers
Located in 常陸大宮市, JP
From Tohoku area, Japan. This mid-size, black Urushi lacquered Tansu chest of drawers is a product of late Edo to early Meiji era (circa 1860s-1880s) , estimate from the style & con...
Category

Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Edo Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

Materials

Wood

1860s-80s Japanese antique wabi sabi Black Urushi mid Tansu chest of drawers
Located in 常陸大宮市, JP
From Kanto or Tohoku area, Japan. This mid-size, black Urushi lacquered Tansu chest of drawers is a product of late Edo to early Meiji era (circa 1860s-1880s) , estimate from the st...
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Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Edo Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

Materials

Wood

1780s-1850s Edo Japanese antique Kiri medicine chest of drawers, wabi sabi tansu
Located in 常陸大宮市, JP
Tall apothecary chest, medicine chest of drawers - "Kusuri dansu" in Japanese - is a new finds from Hyogo pref., Japan. . Product of late Edo era (1780s-1868), estimate from the styl...
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Late 18th Century Japanese Antique Edo Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

Materials

Wood

Japanese Antique BK Huge Tansu 1800s-1860s / Storage Cabinet Sideboard Wabi Sabi
Located in Sammu-shi, Chiba
Very old Japanese wheeled Tansu. This Tansu is from the Edo period (1800s-1860s). Made of paulownia wood and cedar wood. All fittings are made of iron. It was found in a samurai family in the Tohoku region. At that time, it must have been in the category of a rich family. Although heavy metal fittings are scattered throughout, this furniture is serene, simple, and beautiful. The lattice design on both sides and back is also distinctive and beautiful. This is a very rare Tansu...
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Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Edo Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

Materials

Wood, Cedar

Antique Japanese Karuma Tansu
Located in Los Angeles, CA
19th c. Kuruma tansu - cabinet on wheels. These were used to store belongings and the wheels made them easy to move outside during house fires, which were...
Category

18th Century Japanese Antique Edo Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

Materials

Wood

Antique Japanese Karuma Tansu
Antique Japanese Karuma Tansu
$7,800 Sale Price
56% Off
Japanese Antique Kuruma Nagamochi / Storage Sideboard / 1800-1860s Wabi-sabi
Located in Iwate-gun Shizukuishi-cho, Iwate Prefecture
This is a storage piece of furniture that has been used in Japan since ancient times, and is called "Kuruma Nagamochi". The main materials used are Zelkova and cedar, and they were u...
Category

19th Century Japanese Antique Edo Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

Materials

Iron

1860s-80s Japanese antique wabi sabi Urushi mid Tansu chest of drawers
Located in 常陸大宮市, JP
New finds from an farmer's Kura (traditional style warehouse) in Ibaraki pref., Japan. This mid-size, black Urushi lacquered Tansu chest of drawers is a product of late Edo to early...
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Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Edo Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

Materials

Wood

19th Century Japanese Cinnabar / Lacquer Cabinet
Located in Fulton, CA
Incredible example of Asian lacquer carving. Standing over seven feet tall, this monumental display shelf was produced in Japan at the end of the Ed...
Category

Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Edo Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

Materials

Wood, Lacquer

19th Cen. Edo Japanese 2-tier large black Mizuya Tansu, wabi sabi kitchen chests
Located in 常陸大宮市, JP
New finds from the Kominka (old traditional house) owned by an old-established family in Nagano prefecture, Japan. This 2-tier large Mizuya tansu (Kitchen chest) is the product of m...
Category

19th Century Japanese Antique Edo Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

Materials

Wood, Cedar, Pine

1870s-1900s wabi sabi Japanese antique mid tansu chest of drawers
Located in 常陸大宮市, JP
Japanese antique mid size Tansu (chest of drawers), product of circa 1870s - 1900s, late Edo to Meiji era, estimate from the style & conditions. Remaining original paint gives a nice...
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Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Edo Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

Materials

Iron

Antique Japanese Tansu Chest With Drawers on Contemporary Metal Stand Console
Located in Centennial, CO
A stunning and unique antique Japanese tansu chest with two interior drawers that sits on a custom made contemporary black metal stand. Th...
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1920s Japanese Vintage Edo Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

Materials

Iron

17th Century Japanese Lacquer Cabinet On French Giltwood Regence Stand
Located in Benington, Herts
An Extremely Fine and Very Important 17th Century Japanese Lacquer Cabinet on French Giltwood Stand of Regence Period circa 1680-1690 Provenance Likely acquired by Herman Willem ...
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17th Century Japanese Antique Edo Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

Materials

Giltwood, Lacquer

1860s-80s Japanese antique wabi sabi Black Urushi mid Tansu chest of drawers
Located in 常陸大宮市, JP
From Kanto or Tohoku area, Japan. This mid-size, black Urushi lacquered Tansu chest of drawers is a product of late Edo to early Meiji era (circa 1860s-1880s) , estimate from the st...
Category

Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Edo Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

Materials

Wood

19th Edo Japanese wabi sabi dougu Kusuri Tansu, Tool medicine chest of drawers
Located in 常陸大宮市, JP
Product of late Edo period (estimate 1860s-1870s) in Aomori prefecture, Japan. Originally made as tool chest or medicine chest, made of thick, fine grade reddish Sugi cedar. The rus...
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1860s Japanese Antique Edo Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

Materials

Wood, Cedar

An Important Late 17th Century Japanese Lacquered Cabinet Edo Period on Stand
Located in Benington, Herts
An extremely fine, elegant and rare late 17th Century Japanese lacquer cabinet, from the Eco period, on later lacquered black stand. Japanese circa 1690 Provenance A private Scottish collection This outstanding cabinet is a fascinating fusion of east and west. The cabinet itself would have been made in Japan, c.1690, and is decorated to the outside with hiramaki-e lacquer. This technique involves the use of sprinkled gold powder which adheres to the lacquer surface. On the best pieces, as with this example, many layers are added in order to create areas of high relief and give depth to the surface decoration. The taste of the Japanese workshops in this period was often for quite restrained pieces with plenty of the black background visible, unlike some of the busier Chinese lacquer or European japanned examples produced around the same time. The Japanese makers seemed content to rely on the outstanding quality of the lacquer itself, regarded by most experts as the finest lacquer ever produced, and did not see the need to cover every surface believing that less was more in this respect. The lacquer here is used to produce a mountainous scene with buildings on the bank of a river, the other side of the river with more buildings and a contrasting flatter and forested landscape. The fine perspective achieved is the result of the clever use of raised and flatter areas in the lacquer itself in combination with the drawing of the design itself. Another remarkable aspect of this piece is the fine metalware throughout, but particularly the lockplate / hasp, hinges and foot mounts to the front. This is all beautifully cast and engraved contrasting against the black background. Interestingly another cabinet on stand with near identical metalwork was advertised in the Burlington Magazine, November 1913, with the dealer W. Williamson and Sons of Guildford. The lacquer on that piece is similarly refined and it seems likely that both pieces came from the same workshop. The European influence in our piece can be seen in both the later ebonised stand and in the japanned decoration which has been applied to the inside of the doors and is also very fine indeed. This consists of two panels with birds of prey perched on branches in colours set against a golden background. The cabinet has a recent Scottish provenance and so it is likely that the ebonised stand was made in Britain though such pieces were made throughout Europe as a way of quite literally elevating these imported pieces of eastern lacquer as in Japan these would have been used on the floor. Inside the cabinet there is a combination of more Japanese lacquer and lock plates and European drawer handles. Most of the lacquer drawer fronts incorporate mountainous scenes and birds in combination, with a few purely one or the other of the two subjects. Again the lacquer is in excellent condition and is of exceptional quality with multiple layers of relief used in one single scene in many cases. As mentioned above, Japanese lacquer is the most technically brilliant of the eastern lacquers and, as such, was highly prized by collectors and connoisseurs throughout Europe when this piece was made. The acquisition of such pieces would only have been possible for a small group of incredibly wealthy individuals, largely royal or high ranking courtiers or merchants connected with the East India trade...
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1690s Japanese Antique Edo Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

Materials

Lacquer

1860s-80s Japanese antique wabi sabi Urushi mid Tansu chest of drawers
Located in 常陸大宮市, JP
From Kanto or Tohoku area, Japan. This mid-size, black Urushi lacquered Tansu chest of drawers is a product of late Edo to early Meiji era (circa 1860s-1880s) , estimate from the st...
Category

Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Edo Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

Materials

Wood

Antique Japanese Gyosho Bako Peddler's Chest
Located in Oakland, CA
Handsome antique Japanese Gyosho Bako Peddler's chest. Practical piece with incredible iron work which all moves very easily with no rust or resistance. Very well built and stable pi...
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Early 20th Century Japanese Edo Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

Materials

Iron

Japanese Antique Black Storage Box / Blanket Chests / 1800-1868s Wabi-sabi
Located in Iwate-gun Shizukuishi-cho, Iwate Prefecture
This is a Japanese black wooden storage box. It is probably from around the Edo period. It is one of the folk utensils mainly used in Japan in the early modern times, and it is a r...
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Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Edo Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

Materials

Wood, Cedar

Extraordinary Japanese Arts & Crafts Display Cabinet for Restoration
Located in Bridgeport, CT
A extraordinary and meticulously fashioned Japanese display cabinet. The style on the cusp of Art Nouveau/ Arts and Crafts with curvilinear rosewood supports at the top tiers. The supports with chased foliate decorated copper bands. The tiers with elaborate beautiful mixed woods in pieced inlays with a variety of geometric motifs and stars, along with herringbone inlaid edges on the front. Carved and shaped openwork back and side bands for the tiers. The middle with two open sections and one short drawer over a shaped inlaid frieze and shaped and flat shelves...
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Early 20th Century Edo Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

Materials

Wood

19th Century Shop Chest/Cabinet with Sliding Doors and Drawers
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This is an upper part of a an unusual 19th century Japanese cabinet using bamboo and burled wood as design accents on the two sliding do...
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20th Century Japanese Edo Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

Materials

Iron

A Mid Eighteenth Century Japanese Lacquer Cabinet
Located in London, GB
Using Japanese “Urushi” lacquer in a beautifully untouched and sleepy condition, on later stand, This Japanese lacquer cabinet on the stand has...
Category

Mid-18th Century Japanese Antique Edo Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

Materials

Wood, Lacquer

Japanese Antique Small Chest of Drawers, Edo Era (Tenpō 1830-1844), Wabi-Sabi
Located in Hitachiomiya-shi, 08
This antique small chest of drawers was crafted in the Edo Era (Tenpō 1830-1844). The aged urushi (Japanese lacquer), worn away in places, enhances the piece’s unique character and ...
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1840s Japanese Antique Edo Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

Materials

Cedar

Japanese Antique Chests of Drawers 1800s-1860s/Safe Storage Cabinet Wabisabi
Located in Sammu-shi, Chiba
It is an old Japanese drawer. It is an item from the Edo period (1800s-1860s). It has a keyed door so that it can also be used as a safe. Both metal fittings are attached with very ...
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Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Edo Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

Materials

Cedar

1850s-60s Japanese antique box chest of drawers, Edo era. wabi sabi urushi tansu
Located in 常陸大宮市, JP
product of late Edo period, estimate 1850s- 1860s - about 160+ years-old medium sized tansu (chest of drawers) with 5 drawers. Finished with traditional Urushi lacquer remains well, and some old paper labels still remained, both giving a good wabi sabi touch to the item. Fine opening & closing operation for all drawers. drawer inner 1,2 & 3 (from the top) : w 20.87 in / d 10.63 in / h 2.95 in, 3.35 in, 4.33 in 4 & 5 : w 9.84 in / d 10.63 in / h 5.2 in actual item weight 27.31 lb (12.38 kg) *** We're eco-friendly, organic-oriented vintage wood furniture...
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Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Edo Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

Materials

Wood, Cedar

Japanese Lacquer and Cinnabar "Samurai" Cabinet, Inaba Family, Edo Period
Located in Troy, NY
Exceptionally large and rare lacquer cabinet. According to the heraldry, visible on the headgear in one of the panels, it was made for the Inaba family, a high ranking Daimyo family,...
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Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Edo Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

Materials

Wood

Japanese Export Lacquer Mother-of-Pearl Secretaire for the American Market
Located in Amsterdam, NL
A rare Japanese export lacquered secretaire for the American market Circa 1800-1830, Colonial Overall densely decorated with flower sprays and landscapes, minutely inlaid with ...
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1810s Japanese Antique Edo Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

Materials

Mother-of-Pearl, Wood

1852 Edo Japanese antique wabi sabi Urushi mid Tansu chest of drawers
Located in 常陸大宮市, JP
From Tohoku area, Japan. Mid-size, dark reddish brown Urushi lacquered Tansu chest of drawers. Manufactured in Kaei 5 (1852), late Edo period, fully made of quality Kiri (Paulownia)...
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1850s Japanese Antique Edo Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

Materials

Wood

1860s-80s Japanese antique wabi sabi Urushi mid Tansu chest of drawers
Located in 常陸大宮市, JP
From Tohoku area, Japan. This mid-size, black Urushi lacquered Tansu chest of drawers is a product of late Edo to early Meiji era (circa 1860s-1880s) , estimate from the style & con...
Category

Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Edo Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

Materials

Wood

Japanese Antique Small Chest of Drawers, Keio Era (Edo Period, 1867), Wabi Sabi
Located in Hitachiomiya-shi, 08
This antique small chest of drawers was crafted in the Keio Era (1867). Made from Japanese cedar and finished with traditional Japanese lacquer (urushi), the surface has developed a...
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Mid-19th Century Japanese Antique Edo Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

Materials

Cedar

Cabinet Ryosuke Harashima Contemporary Zen Japanese Craft Mingei
Located in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Cabinet by Ryosuke Harashima. Name: Casa Do Walk Collection: STILLIFE A chest for ship with a key door. With four legs that imitate a stilt building structure, it looks like a house that going to walk. STILLIFE STILLIFE is not to redesign old Japanese folk tools but also to have a dialogue with the tools. Morphing "old folk tools" into a "more attractive still life" by giving it a modern interpretation. "Tsukumo God" which we Japanese...
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2010s Japanese Edo Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

Materials

Brass

Edo case pieces and storage cabinets for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Edo case pieces and storage cabinets for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage case pieces and storage cabinets created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include case pieces and storage cabinets, asian art and furniture and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, cedar and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Edo case pieces and storage cabinets made in a specific country, there are Asia, East Asia, and Japan pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original case pieces and storage cabinets, popular names associated with this style include and Ryosuke Harashima. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for case pieces and storage cabinets differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $600 and tops out at $385,000 while the average work can sell for $4,500.

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