Small Japanese Knock-Down Shelving Unit: Has It a Name?

Discussion in 'Furniture' started by wlwhittier, Aug 2, 2023.

  1. wlwhittier

    wlwhittier Well-Known Member

    I picked this up only about 15 years ago, at a local yard sale. The wood is very lightweight, and appears to be Red Cedar but is probably a Japanese relative. It is 9 1/4" high, 9" deep, 13 1/2 wide; the boards are single panels, about 5/16" thick, an' total weight is ~21 0z.

    Whatever it was meant to support couldn't have been too massive, as the assembly is somewhat prone to minor distortion if not on a reasonably level surface, due to the cord-tension being the only force holding it in assembled shape; the tenons aren't a structurally tight fit in the mortises. Note the detail in pic 5, showing what are apparently wear-pads on the load-bearing face of those mortises. The green cording looks like a small-diameter version of modern para-cord. I really don't think this item has a lot of age to it.

    The gourd an' moon cut-outs are probably of symbolic cultural significance, but I haven't researched that, nor really anything else about this sweet little shelf. I am sure there is a Japanese name for this type of construction, or the assembly itself, an' I'll be grateful to know what it is! Any other wisdom y'all may care to share will also be warmly received. Thanks for lookin'!

    5215C299-7F22-4DA6-80E4-8E2F6AD61459_1_201_a.jpeg EA3D7032-C64D-41FE-8DB4-FF008381EA53_1_201_a.jpeg ADFEC198-F391-4DB4-A997-86F2D2AADE9A_1_201_a.jpeg A7B28A5E-9635-4CE0-B62F-531B9872B65E_1_201_a.jpeg FF88AE4A-DC10-46B4-9676-8B4915109C46_1_201_a.jpeg 10CEB3BD-A012-40BC-A656-EC07E91570D1_1_201_a.jpeg 0323D063-296B-4CDE-97C7-C81762242081_1_201_a.jpeg C94A93B2-C6D6-4A2E-B70F-CF3A26D8AED4_1_201_a.jpeg 8CAA0571-9278-40BF-ABE8-74C98DEDF646_1_201_a.jpeg 581EE3DC-C747-41F7-B66D-2014EB158FC9_1_201_a.jpeg
     
    laura9797 likes this.
  2. bosko69

    bosko69 Well-Known Member

    Love Japanese design,simple & elegant (& less fussy the Chinese).
    PS-Maybe all the modern Japanese items are being made in China now ? Would that be called 'Chinapese' ?
     
    laura9797 and Aquitaine like this.
  3. wlwhittier

    wlwhittier Well-Known Member

    ...Or Chipanese?
     
    laura9797 and Aquitaine like this.
  4. bosko69

    bosko69 Well-Known Member

    Whit-You've got a leprechauns way with words !
     
    wlwhittier likes this.
  5. wlwhittier

    wlwhittier Well-Known Member

    I calls 'em as I sees 'em, bosko...
     
  6. bosko69

    bosko69 Well-Known Member

    More that than Chippendale.
     
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