In case you never noticed, space has always been a premium in Japan. Over the years, starting in the Edo era, that space was created by either combining items for multi-purposes, or they became more mobile and specialized.  The zeni-bako is one example of this progression.

The merchant class was growing and they needed to be able to have a tool that combined a writing box (kakesuzuri) and a money storage chest, so that they could take in the kane (money) and also be able to take notes on the transactions, hence the zeni-bako, which combined both.  This was greatly helpful to the thriving merchant who couldn’t trouble himself with smaller transactions, or ones that might have been conducted with a lower status client.  He could send his help out on the show floor with one of these boxes to conduct business, while he sat at the back in front of his zeni-todana (more on that in a later post) with the upper echelons.

The basic design of a zeni-bako consists of a stoutly made box, usually zelkova or chestnut, and a removable half lid with a locking plate of some sort on the front face.  Also, they often had a drawer for the necessary writing accoutrement’s.

This piece has an interesting way of hiding the drawer.  I’m not sure if you can consider this to be a true kendon-buta (drop-fit door), but i think it’s cool nonetheless.  The only thing this piece is missing one tell tale design aspect, the masu, which is a coin shaped slot.  That may indicate that this piece was not used in a typical merchant shop, maybe a public bath, temple or shrine.  In any case, I think it’s a nice example of a zeni-bako.

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