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Mid-1950s Japan-Made Solid Kiri Wood Storage Cabinet / Table - $400 (san jose downtown)
condition:
excellent
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For sale is a small storage cabinet for use in your living room or bedroom. But it can also be used in other settings and for other purposes. For example, this can be used as an end table or nightstand with storage underneath.
I purchased this cabinet from a high-end antique furniture gallery in San Francisco a few decades ago. At the time, I was told that it's a traditional made-in-Japan cabinet that was likely made in the mid-1950s. It's similar to a Japanese Tansu cabinet, but due to the lack of side handles, it's not intended to be a mobile cabinet.
The table is not branded. There are no clear markings of who made this table. This was the case with most furniture pieces made in Japan from that time era.
The cabinet is very reminiscent of a Meiji-era furniture piece with lots of simple square lines, along with lots of decorative metal elements. The only non-linear elements are the edges of the top surface, which slightly curve upward, and the four tiny feet, which curve inwards.
I was told by the furniture gallery owner that the cabinet is constructed of solid Kiri wood, also known as Paulownia wood, which is indigenous to east Asia. These are solid Kiri wood pieces and not just Kiri wood veneer. This cabinet's construction is high-end, based on wood-on-wood joinery.
Most visible surfaces are treated with a very dark brown stain that is intended to show off the wood grain. The back and interior portions don't appear to be stained.
There don't appear to be any metal support screws or nails used in the construction of the cabinet. But there are lots of decorative brass elements that adorn the front of the cabinet.
Due to the generous use of solid Kiri wood, this is a very solid cabinet, weighing about 40 pounds.
The entire cabinet is rectangular-shaped, measuring about 29.5" wide, 18" deep, and 22" tall. The top surface of the cabinet is slightly wider than the cabinet storage space underneath. As mentioned above, the top of the cabinet slightly curve upward at the extreme left and right sides.
The storage space within the cabinet is broken down into two different, distinct sections. The first is the top section, which houses two (2) equal-sized drawers that pull out on wooden sliders. Each drawer has a metal handle in the middle. The interior space of each drawer measures about 10.25" wide, 14.75" deep, and 2.38" tall.
The second storage section within the cabinet is at the bottom. This lower section houses a large open space that is accessed using two equal-sized doors that swing out and back into the cabinet. These doors can be hidden from view when the open space is being accessed. Each door has a metal handle in the middle. The open space within this section measures about 20.75" wide, 16" deep and 11" tall. There is a removable shelf in the middle of this open space that divides the space. The upper shelf is 5.75" in height and the lower shelf is 4.75" in height.
Below the storage cabinet space are four (4) tiny feet that curve inwards.
The cabinet is in excellent condition, especially considering it is probably 70 years old. Structurally, it's in incredibly robust condition, with no wood bending, warping, or fatigue. The two upper drawers slides out with ease. The two lower doors slide out and back with ease. Everything is solid.
Cosmetically, everything is also in excellent condition. There are no significant scratches, dents, dings, or smudges or any exterior surface. There are some very tiny surface scratches, but these are not particularly noticeable.
Please note that the back panel has a small hole in the lower corner of the wood. But this hole is not normally visible, as it's in the back of the cabinet.
You can pick up from my house near the San Jose Airport. You can easily fit this into a standard sized passenger car. Or I would be happy to deliver it to you, if I happen to travel out in your direction.
I prefer that you reach out via text message. Sending an initial email message is OK. But arranging pickup solely using email is not a feasible option for me. Eventually, you'll have to text me to arrange a specific pickup or delivery time. Thanks.