Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art: Asian: Korean (109)

A Rare Tour-de-Force Masterpiece Ten-Panel Painting by the Renowned 19th Century Korean Royal Court Artist Yang Ki Hun aka Sukyeon (1843-1898). This is the first Yang Ki Hun screen painting offered for sale outside of Korea in many years, and it is arguably the best of them. We have here the most renowned of the 19th Century Korean royal court painters demonstrating his mastery and artistry in all of the most revered scholar's motifs. The few other screens of his we have seen in the market over the years were limited to one motif for the entire screen. Each of the ten paintings in this screen is a different motif, but the master brings unity to the entire composition as well with a consistent visual flow that naturally leads the eye from one masterpiece painting to the next. These paintings are unmounted and ready to be framed or mounted onto a screen or rolled up, stored and conserved for their artistic, historical, and cultural value. Each painting is 48.5 x 11.5 inches (123.5 x 29 cm). Ink on paper. The fourth photo here shows the market price for individual Yang Ki Hun paintings and should give you an idea of how very attractive the price is on this set of ten paintings.

Rare and Important Work of Calligraphy by the man designated in every textbook in the East and West as the Pioneering Father of 20th Century Art in Korea, An Jung Sik (also spelled Ahn Jung Sik), 1861-1919 (pen name Simjeon), calligrapher, scholar, royal court painter (he painted the portraits of the last two kings of Korea), and co-founder of KOrea's first modern art school. Paintings by An Jung Sik are by law not allowed to leave Korea, so they are rare in the West. His works of calligraphy are even more rare. So it is with pride that we offer what may be the only An Jung Sik calligraphy ever offered for sale outside of Korea. Calligraphy is regarded as the highest art form throughout East Asia. An Jung Sik studied calligraphy in China and Korea, and helped establish the Seoul Calligraphy and Fine Arts School in 1911, and co-founded, along with O Se Chang, the Association of Painting and Calligraphy Artists in 1918. Kim Eun Ho, Yi Sang Beom, and Jang Seung Eop are just a few of his students who went on to fame as some of Korea's greatest artists. An Jung Sik himself studied under the man widely regarded as one of the most important 19th Century Korean artists, Jang Seung Eop (pen name Owon). This is a large piece at 61 x 22 inches, 155 x 56 cm. An Jung Sik's calligraphy is currently prominently featured in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art's exhibition on Korean calligraphy, Beyond Line: The Art of Korean Writing.

A fine example of a Joseon Dynasty Korean tiger hunting painting, that makes use of the best quality pigments and finest silk, and is rendered with the highest level of artistry and skill, likely by a painter from the royal court. A similar painting recently sold at auction in Korea for $5500. Unique to Korea, almost all Korean hunting paintings depict hunters in Mongolian costume. In spite of the Mongols' brutal occupation of Korea in the 13th Century, Koreans maintained great admiration for Mongolian hunting and equestrian skills. This painting is one of a pair. The other painting is on this website (Stock #1186). Scroll: 50 x 17 inches (127 x 43 cm); Painting: 27 x 13 inches (68.5 x 33 cm).

We have been trying since we opened 18 years ago to acquire a Kim Gyu Jin painting, but they are all either stored in museums or firmly entrenched in private collections. His works are in the collections of the world's biggest museums, including the Metropolitan Museum and the British Museum. There is just one other one on the market, as shown in the last photo here. It is also an orchids painting and it is being offered by a retiring gallery owner for a price reduced from $9000.00 to a "sale" price of $6500.00. So it is with great pride that we offer for the first time a painting by Korean Joseon Dynasty Royal Court artist Kim Gyu Jin. This painting is a fine example of the range of Kim Gyu Jin's brushwork, from dynamic sweeping strokes to quietly rendered details. Kim Gyu Jin aka Haegang (1868-1933) had a tremendous influence on Korean art through his paintings, the art organization he founded (Seohwa Hyeophoe Calligraphy and Painting Association), and his textbooks that became canon in art studies. He taught painting and calligraphy to King Gojong and to the crown prince and he was commissioned by King Sukjong to paint the murals at Changdok Palace. Orchids are an ancient Korean symbol of purity, modesty, and virtue. The rock symbolizes eternity, so the combination of orchids and rock have the meaning of eternal adherence to principle. The orchid grows in remote places, but its fragrance spreads over the land, just as the scholar often works in isolation, but through their scholarly and ethical works their influence is felt throughout the land. Talented painters of orchids were and still are held in the highest regard, and Kim Gyu Jin is unanimously regarded as one of the best. Ink on paper. Scroll Mounting: 79 x 20.5 inches (201 x 52 cm), 54 x 13.5 inches (137 x 34 cm).

This pair of painted portraits depicts the newlywed Justice Minister Choi Seok-min (1858-1915) and his wife. The level of photo-like realism in these paintings is astounding. 19th Century portraits of women are exceedingly scarce. This is the only example we have ever seen offered for sale. The documentation pictured here is included with this pair of portraits. Each painting is 49 x 18 inches, 124.5 x 45.5 cm.

Pair of Framed Korean Antique Embroidered Pillow Ends with the Characters 'Su' and 'Bok', Long Life and Happiness, and Peonies, ancient symbol of love and prosperity. These are set in a deep and lovely frame made of exotic paulownia wood (odong namu), a wood prized for its beautiful wide grain. Each Frame: 8.5 a 8.5 inches, 21.5 x 21.5 cm; Each Pillow End: 4.75 x 4.75 inches, 12 x 12 cm.

A Cobalt-Blue Painted White Porcelain Incense Burner Joseon Dynasty 19th Century. A true treasure. A similar example recently sold at auction in Seoul for 1.5 million dollars. The cracks are not damage. They are original to the piece and happened during firing. The polyhedral incense burner set on a square four-leg foot, overall covered with underglaze cobalt blue paint, decorated in white porcelain low-relief of the Ten Signs of Long Life (Shipjaengsaeng) with finely incised details, the flaring square mouth rim in bamboo shape, two small handles each with a loop, applied with a lustrous transparent overglaze. 7 inches (18 cm.) high.

Rare Antique Korean Funerary Figure (Kkokdu) with much of its original pigment still intact. From a renowned and published New York collection. One of the finer examples we have seen. 11.5 inches, 29.5 cm.

19th Century Korean Hat Box made entirely of Exotic Paulownia (Odong-namu) Wood. Paulownia is very desirable for collectors because of its beautiful wide grain, light weight, and fire and bug-resistant qualities. The paulownia used for this rare hat box is especially fine. (hat not included) 12 x 12 x 12 (height) inches, 31 x 31 x 31 cm.

Rare 19th Century Korean Hyangsang Small Desk and Table with Drawer. Hyangsang were altar stands for the family home altar. Hyangsang (aka Hyangnosang or Hyangtak) are so scarce that this is the only one we have ever been able to acquire in our twenty years in business. 16w x 15.5h x 11.5d inches, 41w x 39h a 29d cm.

Beautiful and Rare 19th Century Korean Elm Wood Document Box from Gyeongsangnam-do, with a patina and grain of gorgeous color and texture and lovely floral metalwork with plum blossoms (a symbol of courage because the plum blossoms early, before winter is quite finished) and chrysanthemum (a symbol of plenty or fertility because of its many petals). For a similar example, see page 69 of Traditional Korean Furniture by Man Sill Pai and Edward Reynolds Wright. 13 x 13 x 7.5 inches, 33 x 33 x 19 cm.

Rare and Fine 19th Century Korean Chaekjang Book Chest. You may never see another like this for under $10,000! 33w x 26.5h x 12d inches, 84w x 67.5h x 30.5d cm.

Joseon Dynasty Ton-kwe (Korean Coin Chest). Coin chests are highly prized by collectors, as their purpose required that they be the largest, heaviest, and most well constructed piece of furniture in the home of an aristocrat. Paper money did not exist in Yi Dynasty Korea, and the coins were of very small denominations. They had to be strung together in large quantities to have any worth, so a strong money box was obviously a necessity. This is a very heavy and likely the most impressive authentic antique Korean coin chest you will ever see for sale. This massive and handsome coin chest must have belonged to a very wealthy family. 19.5 x 56 x 29 inches, 49.5 x 142 x 74 cm.

Korean Scholar's Inkstone Box constructed entirely of paulownia wood, a very desirable wood for scholars and collectors because of its unique and beautiful grain and its natural bug repellent qualities. Below the inkstone compartment there is a larger compartment for holding what was called the scholar's four friends: brush, ink, paper, and inkstone. The inkstone box was a Korean scholar's most treasured item. This is a beautiful and fine example. Its simple, quiet beauty was perfect for the scholar's Confucian aesthetic, and will look great with any kind of decor. 12.5 x 8 x 8 inches, 32 x 20 x 20 cm.

Fine 19th Century Perfectly Matched Pair of Oiled Paper on Wood Wedding Chests with a Beautiful Surface. Only very old oiled paper that has aged for many years can give you this warm, deep, dark hue. A rare perfect pair that is guaranteed to add warmth and beauty to any room. Dimensions of each chest: 30w x 17.5h x 14.75 inches, 76w x 44.5h x 37.5 cm.

Rare Large Joseon Dynasty 19th Century Korean Medicine Chest, Yakjang. Reproductions of Joseon Dynasty medicine chests are popular. Now you have a rare opportunity to acquire an authentic one that was used in a genuine historical and cultural context by a traditional Korean doctor in the 19th century. 42.75w x 38.75h x 15.5d inches, 108.5w x 98.5h x 39.5d cm.

This gorgeous Ichung-nong (Korean Two Unit Stacked Chest) is a rare early piece (mid 19th Century) that has aged to a warm rich hue that is nothing short of a heartwarming and rare treasure to behold. It is a beautiful effect that could never be even closely duplicated with new wood. The finishing process involved singing the wood with a hot iron to both darken it and draw out the resin, and then using straw to rub pinesoot into the grain to further darken it and simultaneously seal the pores and prevent drying, and finishing it with a light pineseed oil finish. A further air of mystery and dignity is given by the very long aging process itself. It is constructed of pine and a rare strain of paulownia with maple door and drawer panels, a rare and luxurious touch on a Korean chest, evidence that this piece was owned by a wealthy family. Furthermore, 'nong' chests were owned by upper-class families who would have observed the distinction between 'nong', which were intended for long-term storage, and the 'chang' type of chests which were for short-term storage. Much of the ironwork is in the shape of stylized floral motifs. The drawers are adorned with lovely Heavenly Peach drawer pulls of iron. The fruit of the mythical Heavenly Peach tree ripens only once every three thousand years and is eaten by the immortals when they gather for their feast at Yao Lake at the the abode of Sohwangmo, the Queen Mother of the West. A further nice historical and cultural touch on an already wonderful, one-of-a-kind piece. 54h x 35w x 14d inches, 137h x 89w x 35.5d cm.

Rare Type of Korean Antique Dining Table with Engraved Floral Scrolls and Calligraphy of Happiness and Long Life Characters. If you are interested, we can provide information on a very similar Korean table that recently sold at an auction in Korea for $4000. These types of tables are rare and much sought-after by collectors. The original natural oil finish has been buffed to a clear beautiful shine over many decades of buffing and cleaning, and is so much more attractive than the waxy chemical finishes on today's furniture. 36.5 x 20.5 x 11.5 inches, 92.75 x 52 x 29.25 cm.