Small antique Japanese cupboard Kodansu – Meiji-Taishō period (c.1868-1926) #16

Small antique Japanese cabinet Kodansu – Late Meiji period (circa 1890-1910) Dimensions: Length: 33 cm Depth: 30 cm Height: 53 cm. Style: Meiji. Materials and techniques: Sugi (Japanese cedar) and Keyaki (Japanese zelkova), wrought iron. Place of origin: Japan. Period: Late Meiji. Date of manufacture: Circa 1890-1910. Condition: Good. Wear is consistent with age and use. This small Japanese cabinet, intended for domestic use, is made of solid wood and dates from the late Meiji period. It consists of two front doors, two lower drawers, and a compartmented interior with shelves. The piece belongs to a typology of regional tansu, designed for the storage of textiles, documents, or personal items. Its construction is simple and functional, representative of Japanese cabinetry from the late 19th century, where utility and structural lightness take precedence over any form of superfluous ornamentation. The front doors feature vertical openings lined with original decorative paper displaying discreet botanical patterns. This element, characteristic of the Meiji period, visually lightened the volume of the furniture while introducing a poetic and domestic dimension. The paper shows natural aging, consistent with its antiquity. The wood retains a deep and stable patina, with signs of use, slight abrasions, and chromatic variations typical of the passage of time. Based on its visible characteristics, the cabinet appears to be primarily made of sugi (Japanese cedar), possibly with reinforcements or structural elements in denser local wood, likely keyaki — a common combination in Japanese furniture of this era. UNIQUE PIECE.