Arrived!
More storage, classic version
Monday was shot by my inability to crawl out of bed and face the day until mid afternoon. Hitting the rack after 2 am also played a role. Thus, at 3 am, I was still up and awake. Getting up at 8 am for my last day time class until the summer vacation comes to a close was remarkably easy and I was equally awake and alert for such a short length of restless sleep.
The original plan was to visit the newly reopened Edo-Tokyo Museum as it is just a block from where I work in Ryogoku, eat at their restaurant and then take some photos from vantage points of other ukiyoe of the area. Museum was closed. I was hoping to cool down there before braving the heat of the exceptionally hot day as the classroom was HOT even with the battery powered fan I bring with me for this location. I aborted the plan and returned home to prepare my apartment for today’s delivery, stopping for lunch on the way.
However, the heat and the lack of sleep had me showered early and in bed before midnight. I successfully got myself out of bed in time to take out the trash and plug in my idiot phone which I haven’t charged or used in over a week. Soon after plugging it in, the delivery guys called.
This is traditional Japanese tansu a century or so old. the black is urushi, Japanese lacquer.
Came with the keys. The key on the right is not bent, if you look closely at the bottom two drawers, the key holes are have an angle in them and this key works those two locks. All locks work but two do not lock. Huh!? The lock in top of the two bottom drawers works fine when not closed as does he lock for the bar that secures the top three drawers. Due to age related misalignment, neither can lock when in place. A bit of a disappointment, especially for the the bar as it will not stay in place without being locked (it popped out several times as I tried to photograph it), but not too severe. I had already planned to have the whole thing refurbished as there are places that offer such services. It came with an unadvertised secret compartment too. The ornamental ironwork on the doors and bar are not for aesthetics only. It also protects the locks and the wood against breaking and entering.
The delivery men unpacked it, placed where I directed and carted away the packing material. Delivery included in the price. Happy happy.
This photo is from the sales website as I can’t show the ends because it is between two other tansu. Due to how common fires were, tansu were designed to be portable so that there was no need to pack to evacuate. Both the handles towards the bottom and the sliding loop at the top aid in this. The loops can be extended upwards for a bar to be passed though for carrying. The loops could also lock into a fitting on smaller tansu that could fit atop it, preventing the one on top from sliding off in an earthquake. Many tansu have wheels on the bottom. It is possible that whoever first owned this had a base with wheels for this to be lifted and set upon for easier escape.
Next week an unaesthetically appealing but perfectly functional writing bureau arrives. I love Mercari! Lots of cool stuff at WOW prices.
Ecstatic! Though I have separated the stacks of papers into three of the drawers, the amount would not fill a single one and yet, the floor of my living room is all but completely clear! For the first time in months, I am able to work in it, to say nothing of walking in it.
I love this kind of furniture but having a family got in the way of buying and fitting out my house in this way. Not sure about the antique stuff but you can buy new Chinese lacquered furniture quite cheaply, although perhaps the quality is not the same. I visited a factory a few years ago and enjoyed walking around and seeing all the different types. Amazing how light this kind of furniture is and wondered if this was due to using modern cheaper materials or whether they were always like that. It seemed almost too fragile for anything but ornamental purposes or very light use but perhaps that is not the case if you can find Japanese examples over a hundred years old.