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Antique Tables By Greentea Design

Each table has its own look and feel, ranging from the minimalist to the ornate and intricate. All the antiques share one common trait however - they have built up fabulous patinas from decades of use.

Accent Tables are the perfect solution for smaller spaces - non-intrusive yet highly distinctive. These antique accent tables are each hand picked for their unique qualities.

The antique dining tables we manage to obtain are exceptional pieces. They have a wood grain that gives incredible detail to the surface. The look of these dining tables just begs not to be covered by a table cloth.

Antique tables come in many shapes and sizes. Some here will work well as coffee tables, others will serve well as end tables. An altar table modified to be a bit lower can make an impressive tv stand for a plasma tv.

Also be sure to look at our reclaimed Maru Dining Tables as well as our contemporary Coffee Tables and End Tables.

history of tansu

craftsmanship

types of tansu

isho tansu

mizuya tansu

mini tansu

History of Tansu

Tansu has a long history dating back to the Edo period (1603 - 1867), when it was a luxury available only to the richest samurai and noblemen. It didn't became a common staple to the Japanese lifestyle until the introduction of the Meiji period (1867-1912).

Japan had just been opened to the West after more than 250 years of civil war and isolation, and the merchants of the Meiji era helped propel the country into the industrial and economic giant it is today. Even so, Japan was a hierarchical society led by nobles - merchants although rich were not allowed to demonstrate their wealth, lest a passing prince take offense.

This was clearly indicated in sets of rules that addressed just about everything regarding style. A merchant's wife's kimono could only be made from a certain group of fabrics, and only allowing a certain amount of color and pattern. This rule was also made for Tansu, restricting the amount and detail of iron work.

In response merchants had incredible tansu commissioned and they regarded these pieces privately. These fine Tansu would generally also be the containers for their fine silk kimonos and other forbidden luxuries.

Craftsmanship

Typical of Japanese design, the focus was put on craftsmanship and the power of natural materials. Because of the multipurpose nature of Japanese rooms, almost all tansu were modular, allowing for easy transportation. They were built to last centuries and, when not being used, were stored in the stone safe houses that were connected to most homes. Tansu were one of the few items that were intended as a permanent fixture of the home (unlike Shoji which were designed with transience in mind).

The carpenter would hand-build each of the pieces, paying careful attention to the harmony of the wood grain. Tansu were often crafted out of more than one type of wood - a strong yet flexible plain sawed wood for a sturdy frame, and an expressive quarter sawed wood for drawer fronts and sliding door panels.

The joiner would then join the pieces using ancient variations of mortise and tenon, dovetail and finger joints. Unlike modern day cabinetry there was no use of glue, nails, or shoddy construction. This is one of the reasons so many tansu are still available today, and are likely to last centuries more.

The final piece of the puzzle was the iron worker. Hardware had symbolic significance and the styles varied region to region. Some tansu exhibited family crests, some had clean and simple designs, while others were elaborate chests coated in stylized iron. Many of the techniques were learned from Korean metal workers that were prisoners from the war. This was expanded upon by Daikichi and Kihei, who started an elaborate ironwork movement that has touched much of the world.

Types of Tansu

Tansu come in several different styles and sizes. They were mostly owned by successful merchants in the Meiji Period (1868-1912) and represented a new era that shot merchants up a notch in class.

Probably the most famous tansu is the kaidan-dansu or step chest. These modular pieces were used to access loft and attic spaces in homes. They would then quickly disperse when the tax inspector visited, leaving the upper level of their homes untaxed.

Mizuya Tansu (Kitchen Chests) became a staple in the home and the foundation of the kitchen. Also stacking pieces, they represented a new epoch in which people could afford to cook full meals and experiment with cuisine, as opposed to single pot cooking. They had large cavernous spaces that would be accessed through sliding doors, as well as several pull out drawers for storage of smaller items.

Isho Tansu (Drawer Chests) were dressers for clothing and kimono storage. These pieces were crafted from Kiri wood and many boasted incredible hardware designs. They were also the most popular wedding gift in Japan at the time.

Choba Tansu (Merchant's Document Chests) were commissioned for merchants to have elaborate hardware in order to impress his clients. They ranged in size from small document chests to large apothecary and inventory chests.

Funa Tansu (Sea Chests) were smaller chests that were built to endure arduous voyages in the captain's cabin of a ship. These pieces were reinforced with thick iron hardware and a false iron front for protection.

Isho Tansu

These Isho Tansu (Drawer Chests) were used to store clothing and kimonos in 20th century Japan. The larger tansu (Isho Kasane Tansu) are composed of two pieces stacked on top of each other. They were created for ease of movement to accommodate the constantly changing functions of a Japanese room.

Their modular quality creates for some very flexible design options today. They can be placed back to back to act as a coffee table with storage on each side, and they can be separated to act as a pair of side tables. Like all tansu, the focus is on craftsmanship and natural materials - here, it is detailed hand-forged hardware atop fine Kiri wood.

The Evolution of Isho Tansu

Isho Tansu came in two distinct forms, the smaller single chest (Isho Yaro Dansu), and the larger stacking chest (Isho Kasane Tansu).

Isho Yaro Dansu (literally man's clothing chest) were generally used to store clothing and kimonos for the man of the house. Isho Kasane Tansu (stacking clothing chest) were the most common wedding gifts in Japan, as they gave separate chests for the bride and groom and represented their bond.

Generally crafted from Kiri wood, the real variation in Isho Tansu comes in the form of layout and hardware. The layout of most Isho Tansu speaks of its age. Earlier Meiji-era tansu had multiple drawers and doors, which then evolved into the classic three full length drawer with bottom 3/4 length drawer and safe. The final stage of evolution which took place in the early 1900s was the four full length drawer layout.

Mizuya Dansu

These Mizuya Dansu (Kitchen Chests) would have been used to store items related to cooking.

About 5.5ft high and ranging from 3 to 9 ft wide, they are composed of two pieces stacked on top of each other. They are characterized by their asymmetrical layouts of sliding doors and pullout drawers, and come in many styles.

Like all tansu, the focus is on craftsmanship and natural materials - incredibly detailed hand-forged iron hardware atop exotic rich-grained woods.

History of Mizuya Tansu

In the late Edo period, Mizuya Tansu (Kitchen Chests) became a staple in the home and the foundation of the kitchen. They represented a new epoch, in which people could afford to cook full meals and experiment with cuisine, as opposed to single pot cooking.

They were constructed of two or more pieces stacked on top of each other, and had large cavernous spaces that would be accessed through sliding doors, as well as several pull-out drawers for smaller storage.

Mini Tansu

This diverse collection of small antique funa-dansu (sea chests) and choba-dansu (ledger cabinets) comes from all sides of Japan.

Like all tansu, the focus is on craftsmanship and natural materials - incredibly detailed hand-forged iron hardware atop exotic rich-grained woods. The amount of hardware on each piece would have been an indication of status, and merchants would display them with pride.

Across the ocean and centuries later, they are ideal in the bedroom or living room as combination side tables / storage chests.

Design

Tansu are a syngergistic combination of three ancient Japanese trades - carpentry, joinery, and metalworking. These artistic antiques have become increasingly popular with Western collectors in recent years, and because of their incredible craftsmanship and simple designs, they are also timeless and functional pieces of furniture.

Antique Dining Room Furniture

Antique Dining Room Furniture | antique dining room furniture

Restore Your Antique Oak Dining Furniture

It is a real challenge to be restoring real antique oak furniture especially if you don’t have the proper knowledge on how to go about it. One of the primary things you need to know before changing anything about the appearance of this particular antique oak furniture is that doing so will diminish its value to avid collectors as they place a superior value to antiques that hasn’t been restored or has remained unchanged throughout the years. Antique dining tables for instance are not meant to be “cleaned up” because for them, originality and age is of primary importance.

However, for those of you who are more concerned about its aesthetic value rather than its monetary value, it is good to know that you can restore your antique oak furniture, even if it is an overused, worn torn, weathered and very old antique dining table. Whether it’s a big or small piece of oak antique dining furniture you have there, or any kind of antique oak furniture for that matter, be warned that doing so will take up so much of your money, time and effort. However, once restored to its original appearance, it will definitely make your read more…

What is an Antique Reproduction Furniture?

Mahogany furniture is mostly from the English furniture institution. A lot of the antique furniture that originated during the 18th Century was made of this hardwood. Mahogany made all the furniture at that time extremely appealing, and because of the hardwood’s natural quality, mahogany furniture also became widely known for its long lasting and hard wearing properties.

What is an Antique Reproduction Furniture?

However, mahogany is not native to England. They export the wood from Cuba and Puerto Rico for use in furniture making. Today, mahogany furniture has become extremely expensive and does not come by easily, more so for the antique kind. If you are looking to decorate your home with antique dining furniture made from mahogany for instance, then you might want to consider having antique mahogany reproduction furniture instead.

Antique mahogany reproduction furniture is very beautiful and elegant due to its carved patterns and rich coloring. They are usually of the Victorian and more classic styles, and used more for entertaining, hence, they better fit inside dining rooms. These pieces of furniture can give further character to the room and should be the main attraction. Say, in your dining room where you usually entertain your family and guests with special dinner parties, read more…

Antique Dining Room Furniture Sale

Gone are the days when sales typically happen only in December and January. These days, sales occur on a much more regular basis. So, whenever you plan to do a makeover for your home, you will always find bargains waiting to be bought, and even antique furniture waiting to find its new owner.

Antique Dining Room Furniture Sale The beauty of purchasing antique dining table for instance, in a sale is that you can maximize the value of your hard earned money. Antique furniture is no longer just for the wealthy. Middle class folks can purchase one too from garage sales and bargain sales. Usually, you not only get the antique dining table you want, you can even get the antique dining chairs that go with it too.

However, when people come to sales, they are more often than not tempted to buy other things even if they don’t really need it. They get attracted to the low prices and they end up buying more than they can handle. The trick is to scout first for the things which you actually need like an antique dining table and stick to that item. After visiting a couple of bargain stores or garage sales, read more…

Antique Dining Room Furniture FAQs

One of the top categories for furniture collectors is antique dining room furniture. They are designed using hard woods and are built to last a lifetime, sometimes even more. This is the reason why there are still various many pieces available today and are very much coveted by a lot of collectors all over the world. This is because most often than not, the cliché “they don’t make things like this anymore” is very much true. You either get a very expensive and durable antique, or you have one style mass produced.

Antique dining room furniture were made with the most durable, most beautiful and hardest wood available in that era when it was manufactured. They were design to last for a very, very long time because owners would want to pass them from one generation to the next.

Antique Dining Room Furniture FAQs

For those who are thinking of buying an antique dining room furniture, make sure that you consider the following tips:

- Find out about the period when the piece you like was made.

- Have an expert evaluate the true value of the furniture.

By taking these two things into consideration, you are more likely to get the furniture you want read more…

How to Treat Your Antique Dining Room Set

Antique dining room furniture is one of the most used sets when it comes to antique furniture. As such, the wear and tear they get over the years is graver than the living room furniture for instance. If you happen to own an antique set of dining table made of oak or mahogany, the best thing that you can do to help make it look new and well taken care of is to apply some finishing. However, getting the cheaper ones do not guarantee the quality you would like your antique dining table and chairs to have. If you want to make your antique furniture look posh and elegant again, you can apply French polishing to the wood. This practice originated from the olden times when skills and craftsmanship were deemed very important and when the makers of these furniture pieces were very much willing to take the time and create the most elegant and beautiful finish to a piece of quality furniture.

How to Treat Your Antique Dining Room Set

French polish is a process and not a particular product. It is a technique used in wooden furniture to make its finish more lustrous to the eyes. It first became popular back in read more…

How to Make Antique Furniture Work Well for Your Home

Over the years, the trends in interior design have developed. It’s true that classic and traditional designs never really go out of style but we also have to admit that the contemporary and sleek look have also dominated the market. And with the influence of designs from other cultures, the field of interior design has grown even more.

Because there are now countless styles and designs to choose from, those antique pieces that you may have at home may start to look a bit out of place. But since home owners have a deep attachment to the sentimental value of particular heirloom pieces, the question now is how to make these antique furniture pieces blend in well with their contemporary surroundings? Selling them should always be your last option. Think of unique ways first that you can do to make them a part of your home, a special part of your life, both for those that do hold some hefty monetary value, and even those that do not.

For some antique furniture that do not really hold any monetary value, but are memorable, you may consider having them refurbished. You can do a good paint job on them read more…

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Antique Dining Room Furniture

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