Beautiful Japanese Tray

[Stanley Covington]

This is a picture of a 手掛け盆, or handled tray, I saw at an exhibition of the works of sashimonoshi here in Tokyo. It is not a complicated or gaudy piece, unlike some of the pieces that find their way into such exhibitions, but I thought it was elegant. It reminds me of something in the Shaker style, but designed for more delicate sensibilities.

My reason for posting it here was to stimulate the readers of the Forum. This piece is practical, and can be used in the home for sewing or crafts, for bringing coffee or tea and condiments to guests, for stationary, or even as a decorative accent. It can be made simply or using sophisticated techniques, but its understated beauty and practical utility will remain regardless of technique. The simple lines are very Japanese, but it would be easy to add Western details, or even a bit of veneer inlay, for a different appearance.

And it is small enough to be made economically in a small home workshop using figured wood, and entirely using hand tools.

The writeup goes like this:

"Grand Prize Award Winner at the Seventh Kanto Traditional Craftsman Competition (2007). The material is figured wood with a wiped lacquer finish (SRC note: Natural lacquer, as in the tree sap, not the petrochemical version). The drawer does not have a knob, but can be pushed from the back to open, a feature that requires great skill to achieve. (SRC Note: the drawer can be opened from either side.). The handle corners are connected using 5 hidden dovetails, and radiused, a combination of details requiring the highest level of skill. The reference value of the piece is ￥100,000 (not for sale)."

I hope you like it as much as I do.

Stan

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[Andrew Hughes]

That is a lovely piece,thanks for sharing.

[Howard Pollack]

It is beautiful. I wish that I had the personal development to build something even close to that. Thanks -Howard

[Dave Beauchesne]

Stanley:
Thanks you for sharing - Our son married a girl from Fukuoka and I have had the pleasure of visiting Japan twice.

Do you know the type of wood used?? I was gifted a piece of blister figured Tamo while in Japan from a wonderful
woodworker named Nashita-san while on my last visit 5 years ago, but the photo you posted does not look similar.

I have made a small Tansu in Big Leaf Maple for our son and daughter in law for their wedding gift - as well as a
Japanese lantern in west coast cypress - this may be something I should tackle.

Thanks again for sharing -

Dave B

[Stanley Covington]

Stanley:
Thanks you for sharing - Our son married a girl from Fukuoka and I have had the pleasure of visiting Japan twice.

Do you know the type of wood used?? I was gifted a piece of blister figured Tamo while in Japan from a wonderful
woodworker named Nashita-san while on my last visit 5 years ago, but the photo you posted does not look similar.

I have made a small Tansu in Big Leaf Maple for our son and daughter in law for their wedding gift - as well as a
Japanese lantern in west coast cypress - this may be something I should tackle.

Thanks again for sharing - Dave B

Is your son an RM?

Judging by the grain and color (as you know, fuki urushi makes most woods nearly the same brown color) it could be either Sen (栓castor aralia） or Tamo (Japanese Ashhttp://www.fuchu.or.jp/%7Ekagu/mokuzai/tamo.gif). Both woods have similar grain, but Tamo is more likely to exhibit "Tamamoku" which is what I think you mean by blistergrain.

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I made a kaidan tansu for my wife from both Ash and Tamo. Both good woods. It is one of the few pieces of furniture we have that she insists on dragging along when we transfer every three or four years.

When I saw this picture in my files last night, I thought the readers might find it interesting. The possible interpretations are endless. Besides that, I have some blistergrain tamo that is burning a hole in my limited stock of wood, and this is exactly the sort of thing my wife will use. I will need to get some kiri for the drawer sides and bottom.

I would love to see pics of the bigleaf maple tansu and cypress andon you made. I will try to take some pictures of the kaidan tansu and post them over the weekend (its Friday here).

Stan

[jamie shard]

I believe this link will take you to a video that features the construction of a version of this tea tray. No drawer but very fine construction: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aRZT0PYhJU it begins at about 9:15.

[Dave Beauchesne]

Stanley:

My son and daughter in law now reside in Vancouver - a ferry ride away, but not too far. I will try to send a picture of the blister / quilted Tamo - it is truly beautiful.

I have no pictures of ' Tansu ' as ( he / she ) is known in digital formatWhen I made Tansu, I also used camphor that Nashita-san gave me as well, and I incorporated two hidden compartments with at total of 104 ' tails ' in the dovetailed carcase / drawer assemblies.

It is a diminuative piece really; 27 inches high IIRC, c/w six drawers and two small doors. I wanted to put 4 tails on each side of the drawer sides, but a consult with my daughter in law's parents and grandmother suggested three tails per side - luck versus less luck culturally.

I have seen the video Jamie linked to - thanks again for including that.

Dave B

[Stanley Covington]

I would love to see pics of the bigleaf maple tansu and cypress andon you made. I will try to take some pictures of the kaidan tansu and post them over the weekend (its Friday here).
Stan

Here is a pic of a kaidan tansu I made six or seven years ago at the request (demand) of my wife and to her specs. Wood is keyaki (primary) and tamo (secondary). Not much figure, so I stained it dark for an antiquey look. Solid wood construction, but the panels are very thin (3/16") to reduce weight. It is a three piece cabinet, with two end pieces, each a mirror image of the other, each with two drawers, two spaces with sliding doors, and a lift-out door. The central piece has ten drawers to hold her quilting materials. The idea behind the three divisions is that they can be placed in a row against a longer wall, in a corner, as shown in the picture in our house in Tokyo, or used separately in more confined situations. As you can see, she uses the steps not to access the second floor, but to display her collection of antique teapots and lacqureware.

This is the center of her decoration efforts wherever we live (we move a lot)..

Stan

[Dave Beauchesne]

Very beautiful and stunning - lots of work went into that functional piece.

Well done - I always say when I build something it should be around and in good shape in 200 years - your tansu fits the bill.

Dave B

[Dave Beauchesne]

Looks like it came thru- not the best photo though - there are some mineral spirits splashed on the piece to highlight the grain.

The piece of Tamo gifted to me has been resawn, and I hope to find the perfect project for it.

Nashita-san had log after log of this type of figured wood in many species stickered in his barn adjacent to his shop. I would have loved to spend a week with him; he and his wife were so wonderful during our hour visit.

Thanks again for the picture of the tansu Stanley.

Dave B

[Stanley Covington]

Looks like it came thru- not the best photo though - there are some mineral spirits splashed on the piece to highlight the grain.

The piece of Tamo gifted to me has been resawn, and I hope to find the perfect project for it.

Nashita-san had log after log of this type of figured wood in many species stickered in his barn adjacent to his shop. I would have loved to spend a week with him; he and his wife were so wonderful during our hour visit.

Thanks again for the picture of the tansu Stanley.

Dave B

Dave:

Nice piece of wood. I have a couple of boards similar to your that I plan to make into a small cabinet for my wife now that the weather here in Tokyo is warming up. Tamamoku Tamo is nice wood, but tearout is a real problem, so I expect to be using a card scrapper a lot.

Stan

[Dave Beauchesne]

Stan:

You have to forgive my near complete ignorance on things Japanese, other than our son married a wonderful girl whose family
is from Fukuoka and I have had the pleasure of visiting twice.

I do gravitate towards Japanese ' styles ' to some degree, but ultimately, am a hack by Japanese standards - always room for
improvement I say, and inspiration from posts here are good for the soul.

Thanks again.

Dave B