Japanese Meiji period (1868-1912) tansu with hand-forged iron fittings. With four graduated drawers; the lower section with a cabinet door concealing two additional small drawers.  Two hand-forged iron handles on either side. 

Height: 35 3/4 in
Width: 30 1/4 in
Depth: 17 in
 
Good condition and commensurate for its age, with dings and scratches on most surfaces. Metalwork is intact and all drawers and doors operational. Original finish
 
Tansu are traditional portable storage chests. In traditional Japanese houses, there were no fixed chairs, tables, or pieces of furniture in the living spaces. Tansu were intended as mobile cabinetry, and used to keep objects of daily use, clothes, and personal items. They were also frequently employed by shopkeepers to store inventory, records, or valuables, as well as in warehouses, and even on ships.