Japanese Cabinetry: The Art & Craft of Tansu [Hardcover]

David Jackson (Author), Dane Owen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 15, 2002

Originating from Japan's Edo period (1615-1867), tansu refers mostly to wooden cabinets, boxes and chests. The gifted creators of this art were deservedly esteemed by Japanese society, leaving a rich and influential legacy. Their work was almost anonymous, though, and the history has remained in the shadows-until now. Japanese Cabinetry: The Art and Craft of Tansu is the first truly definitive volume on tansu, giving voice to the long-overlooked craftsmen and overdue respect for the craft itself. This book provides a broad representation of cabinetry designs along with contextual history, gleaning insights from the cabinetry itself. From trunks with wheels to shipboard safes, from kitchen cupboards to clothing chests, tansu were the receptacles of an age of economic expansion. Japanese Cabinetry chronicles not only the physical characteristics and details of tansu, but also the historical eras and societal factors that influenced the craft. David Jackson has been buying, collecting, and conserving tansu since 1990. He lives in Sante Fe. Dane Owen founded Shibui, a gallery of Japanese antique furnishings. Mr. Owen is a frequent visitor to Japan, searching for objects for his customers and his private collections. He lives in Sante Fe. (20030428)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Tansu are, in a simple sense, wood furniture pieces, but Jackson, a conservator and collector of tansu, and Owen, a gallery owner, make the case that tansu should be seen in the U.S. as an art form. Tansu, they argue, represent the height of Japanese craftsmanship in the Edo and Meiji periods, reflecting increasing societal wealth and evolving tastes. The authors compare the simple, elegant cupboards and chests to Shaker objects, which "are now feverishly collected as art, yet would not be without respect for the traditions and skill they embody." The 300 color photos support their contentions-the pieces are delicately finished with lacquer and hand-forged iron and are made of more than one kind of wood. Hand-tinted Meiji-era photographs accompany synopses of period history: in one, a doctor feels a patient's hand; in another a young woman prepares tea. An unusual chapter places tansu among Western settings, while others outline personal household uses of tansu, or how to restore and collect it. The book's design echoes a museum catalogue, with captions and explanatory text.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

Tansu are, in a simple sense, wood furniture pieces, but Jackson, a conservator and collector of tansu, and Owen, a gallery owner, make the case that tansu should be seen in the U.S. as an art form. Tansu, they argue, represent the height of Japanese craftsmanship in the Edo and Meiji periods, reflecting increasing societal wealth and evolving tastes. The authors compare the simple, elegant cupboards and chests to Shaker objects, which "are now feverishly collected as art, yet would not be without respect for the traditions and skill they embody." The 300 color photos support their contentions - the pieces are delicately finished with lacquer and hand-forged iron and are made of more than one kind of wood. Hand-tinted Meiji-era photographs accompany synopses of period history: in one, a doctor feels a patient's hand; in another a young woman prepares tea. An unusual chapter places tansu among Western settings, while others outline personal household uses of tansu, or how to restore and collect it. The book's design echoes a museum catalogue, with captions and explanatory text. (Publishers Weekly )

Tansu - the craft of wooden boxes and chests, originally designed during the Edo period of Japanese history (1603 - 1868) - is as recognizable as the Shaker style of oval boxes. Jackson, who has been collecting and conserving tansu works since 1990, and Owen, a gallery owner and goldsmith, have together produced a fine exposition of this obscure corner of woodworking history and culture. This lavishly illustrated volume is printed on heavy, glossy paper and presents breathtaking examples of the woodworker's art on every page. The authors present historical context in a rather disjointed fashion that will confuse newcomers to the topic, and some of the captions contain gratuitous editorializing, which detracts from the joy of discovery throughout most of the book. Still, with eight chapters on the various aspects of tansu (including commercial and household uses); 300 color illustrations, with examples from all regions of Japan; and such useful resources as endnotes, a glossary, a bibliography, a chronology, and a list of sources, this is the most comprehensive exploration of the topic currently available. Ultimately for designers rather than woodworkers or vernacular historians, this book is recommended for large decorative arts collections. (Library Journal )

Simple, beautiful, and calming, the Japanese aesthetic of Tansu-the cabinetry tradition that originated during the Edo period (1603-1868)-can be incorporated into many home styles. (Natural Home magazine )

This is a great book, of interest to fans of architecture and design and of Japanese styles as well as to woodworkers and furniture collectors. (Santa Fe New Mexican )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Gibbs Smith, Publisher; 1 edition (November 15, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1586851136
• ISBN-13: 978-1586851132
• Product Dimensions: 12.3 x 11 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,416,065 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

David Jackson was born in Washington DC, spent years in Chicago, Santa Fe, and Brooklyn before landing in the Asheville,NC vicinity.He has an MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. His passion for Japanese furniture culminated in a book about Japanese Cabinetry, and articles about the fascinating step-chest of Japan.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Strong on Art , Light on Craft, July 6, 2005

By 

John Kriegshauser "Wood Worker" (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Japanese Cabinetry: The Art & Craft of Tansu (Hardcover)

I am biased; I am a woodworker. This is actually a terrific book offering a huge collection of beautiful photos, and an extensive commentary about the role of Tansu in Japanese lifestyle and culture. However the craft of making Tansu was not well represented. From the title I would have expected more on tools, techniques and joinery.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Reference Guide., November 29, 2002

By 

clay forbes (Saitama , Japan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Japanese Cabinetry: The Art & Craft of Tansu (Hardcover)

I have fortunately been able to read an advance copy of this book . The book is well researched with more relevant detail on wooden Japanese Furniture than all previous publications combined. I was able to identify and date several pieces in my collection , as well as find out that I had been misled by some Japanese dealers with regard to age and origin . Now it is much easier to identify Tansu in it's historical context . Who would have guessed that Politics played an important part in Tansu usage and design , or that streets became clogged with Tansu during emergencies , causing many more deaths and the rewriting of local laws . This book tells it all.

12 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Tansu Tribute, August 16, 2004

By 

Rebecca Johnson "The Rebecca Review" (Washington State) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Japanese Cabinetry: The Art & Craft of Tansu (Hardcover)

If you are fascinated by the creation of handmade Japanese cabinetry, this is one of the few books you can find on the subject because for some reason, the cabinetry of Japan is one of the least recorded aspects of Japan's woodworking history. Throughout this guide, you will find lush photographs of opaque and transparent lacquered chests, their hand-forged iron handles and the tools of the trade. I especially enjoyed the hand-colored photos of family life, rice fields and the textile sellers. Not only do you get to glimpse this magical world of Zen temples and street merchants selling sweet rice drinks, you will be able to view page after page of stunning merchant chests, bedding chests, clothing chests and mizuya-dansu (kitchen cupboards).

I've always been intrigued by chests filled with magical little drawers in which anything could be stored. This book has made me aware of the wide variety of chests that can be purchased and most of the pages are filled with pictures and descriptions so you can know what to look for online. Before finding this particular book, I was at a loss for what to look for. Now I have the names of items like the sea chest (funa-dansu) and realize the difference in the woods used. I think the cho-dansu made of keyaki with the distinctive iron fittings on page 111 is just stunning. The cho-bako funa-dansu (ship chest) is also very interesting as it features tortoise, a symbol of prosperity and longevity.

The detailed descriptions of the lockplates are presented with photographs. If you are a student of this craft (or looking for pictures of things like a cherry blossom motif), the pages on the components of a tansu will encourage you to explore all the essential details in your own selections. They also explain how all the L braces and iron-edge strapping are not only decorative, but highly functional.

As a person who has refinished a desk upon which I am typing, my appreciation for furniture went through an entire renewal process while reading "Japanese Cabinetry."

Contents:

The Realm of Tansu: An Introduction
Tansu and Allied Trades
The Craft of Tansu
Tansu for Mercantile Use
Tansu for Household Use
Tansu for Personal Use
Living with Tansu
Collecting and Restoring Tansu

Not only does this book present early mercantile tansu designs, there are pictures of contemporary desks and even a section about books, magazines and catalogues for further research. The index, glossary of terms and chronological list of exhibitions make this book very easy to read and understand. There are also ideas for how to set up your tansu collection in your bedrooms, bathrooms, living rooms and kitchen. You might even want to put a kitchen chest (mizuya) in your living room. This book also features entry tables, entertainment centers, coffee tables and bookcases and so much more.

Back to dreaming of owning the cho-dansu from the late Edo period (1615-1868). Not only can you view items from this period, you can read about the history and lifestyle of the people living in this era. This book would make a perfect gift for anyone who has lived in Japan or is interested in Japanese history. It would also be an amazing gift for anyone interested in Japanese movies. I have often wondered about various items and this book has provided more information than I could have ever dreamed about finding.

A note about the authors: David Jackson has been collecting tansu since 1990 and has studied sculpture and woodworking. He developed his passion for Japanese woodwork and then was involved with one of the first exhibitions of tansu in the United States. Dane Owen founded a gallery of Japanese antique furnishings and is also a frequent visitor to Japan. He can be found searching for objects for his customers and his own private collections. Together they have written the ultimate book on the Japanese craft of tansu. If you love tansu, your heart is going to beat a little faster while reading Japanese Cabinetry. I am beyond appreciative of David and Dane's knowledge of this subject. If you own one book on tansu, this would be an excellent choice.

~The Rebecca Review