A rare kuruma dansu, wooden wheeled storage chest, chestnut frame and front, paulownia drawer lining and cedar panelling, it has a small secret locking compartment. Made in the Edo period, first half of the 19th century. Historical minor borer damage. Once a status symbol of merchant families, these chests made to store household valuables were made with wheels so that they could be moved in case of disaster or fire. During the great Kanto earthquake in the early 19th century thousands of kuruma dansu were pulled into the streets of old Edo creating the first recorded traffic jam in history. For a brief time kuruma were banned in three cities (Edo, Osaka, Kyoto) within city limits.