Catalog (320)

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.

Rare 19th Century Korean Kyeongsang Scholar's Study Desk with Persimmon Drawers. Simple and elegant in keeping with the scholar's aesthetic. The upturned ends keep scrolls and writing materials from rolling off the desk. 27 x 12 x 11 inches, 68.5 x 30.5 x 28 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.

Korean Contemporary Buncheong Ceramic Art by Kim See Man. Buncheong is a unique and centuries-old style of ceramics characterized by a white slip surface that is usually decorated in a spontaneous and expressive manner. This has been imitated in Japan's mishima ware. Kim See Man's work has been exhibited at a long list of major museums, including the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, Yale University Art Gallery, Freer/Sackler Gallery of Art, Indianapolis Museum of Art, Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Harvard University Art Museum, Detroit Institute of Arts, Saint Louis Museum of Art, Newark Museum, American Craft Museum, Portland Art Museum, Society for Contemporary Crafts, Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, Seattle Asian Art Museum, Vancouver Art Museum, Royal Ontario Museum, and many others. Artist signed wood box is included. 11.5 x 10 x 10 inches, 29 x 29 x 25 cm.

Bodhisattva by Choi Dae Shik aka Daniel Choi, Set of Ten Paper on Wood Sculpture, as featured in SOFA, Sculptural Objects and Functional Art, the premier gallery-presented art fair dedicated to three-dimensional art and design. Each one has a hook on the back, so they may also be displayed hanging on the wall. 10 inches (25.5 cm) tall.

Choi Sung Jae (born 1962) is the most widely exhibited Korean ceramic artist, in international galleries and in the permanent collections of major museums, such as the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Museum of Fine Art in Boston, the Peabody Essex Museum, and many others. He is a master of white slip buncheong ceramics, a style revered and imitated by Japanese artists for centuries. This lovely Pond with Geese and Reeds is a fine example of his work. This is an ancient subject in Korean art and is called "noando." The literal meaning of "noando" is reed and geese painting, but it is a play on words, as "no" is a homonym that can mean either "reed" or "old", and "an" is a homonym that means either "geese" or "comfort" ("do" means "painting"). So "noan" can mean either "reed and geese" or "old comfort", therefore a painting of geese and reeds symbolizes a wish for a comfortable and peaceful old age. 12.5 inches, 32 cm.

Very Rare Joseon Period Lacquered Bamboo Fan with the Korean Taegeuk National Symbol.The last photo here shows a similar fan in a recent Korean auction with an estimate of $3,000 to $5,000. You can see similar examples on page 475 of the catalogue of the Korean art collection of the Grassi Museum in Leipzig, Germany. The Taegeuk symbol has been used in Korea for thousands of years and is the center of the Korean flag. The three colors here, yellow, red, and a very light blue, represent balance in the universe, and Humanity, Earth, and Heaven, respectively. These fans very rarely come up for sale and are highly desired by collectors and museums. We offer this opportunity for one of our clients to make this rare acquisition of a sublime and contemplative 19th Century Korean meditative object at a generous price. 13 inches (33 cm) high x 9 inches (23 cm) wide.

The inkstone box was a Korean scholar's most treasured item. He spent more waking hours with this item than with any other. This inkstone box is a rare incised example with lovely clouds and cranes who bring blessings, good news, and happiness. It was ranked the most senior bird by Confucian scholars and thought a noble role model. The crane is also a longevity symbol and when they are paired like this, it is a symbol of eternal love and happy marriage. The four items kept in this box-- inkstone, brush, ink, and paper--were called the scholar's four friends. 16.5 x 11.5 x 10.25 inches, 42 x 29 x 26 cm.

Rare Pair of Orchids and Rocks Paintings by Kim Eung Won aka Soho (1855-1921), beautifully framed. 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. Though Daewongun (Prince Yi Ha Eung) is often cited as the greatest painter of orchids, most scholars now agree it was Kim Eung Won who was creating many of the paintings for which Prince Daewongun took credit and which Daewongun signed. Daewongun was, of course, a great painter of orchids, but most agree now that Kim Eung Won may deserve the title of greatest. His paintings sell for a fraction of the price of Daewongun's paintings, at least for now. That can be expected to change as the general public catches up with the scholarship on the subject. The last photo here is from a sale at another gallery where the prices on similar paintings by Kim Eung Won are several times higher than the price we are asking here for this fine and rare pair. Ink on paper. Each Frame: 61.5 x 18.5 inches, 156 x 47 cm. Each Painting: 48 x 12 inches, 122 x 30.5 cm. (A much smaller single Daewongun painting sold at Christie's for $12,500 on March 18, 2014).

A Rare, Tall Masterpiece 5th to 6th Century Silla Jar with a Luxurious Drip Glaze. This is a rare opportunity to add a true masterpiece from 1,500 years ago to your collection. Silla ware is the most undervalued and underpriced of Korean antiquities. It preceded and influenced the Sue ware of Japan. This is the most beautiful example of a Silla jar we have seen. The entire circumference is richly adorned with an abundant accidental greenish brown drip glaze that culminates in vibrant pools. It is a rare form with a tall perforated pedestal and a tall neck with a dramatic V-form. Both the ridged pedestal and ridged neck feature incised wave patterns created with a comb around the circumference. The tall neck helped to keep the contents from splashing out. As if to reward prolonged viewing from every angle, the body has a secret band of unique punctuated comb incisions hidden at the bottom where the body meets the pedestal. Glaze has dripped to the bottom of the pedestal, as well. Given its total height in proportion to its body, imposing grandeur, and luxurious design, we can say with certainty this jar was utilized for ceremonial purposes. The National Museum of Denmark has a similar jar in its Kalbak Collection. Height: 12 inches, 30.5 cm. Circumference: 25.5 inches, 65 cm.

Painting of Peonies by Park No Soo aka Nam Jeong (1927-2013). Just the first page of a google search reveals both the acclaim that Park No Soo gained internationally, and the adoration he received in Korea. His style and palette is instantly recognizable. Here, the flowers are so vibrant they seem to be moving. This beautiful, contemplative painting is a fine example of his inimitable, expressive brushwork. The peony, with its large and abundant petals, is an ancient symbol of love and prosperity in Korea. The Park No Soo Museum opened in 2013 in Seoul's Jongno District, Jongno's first public museum. Park No Soo was a student of Yi Sang Beom, who was a student of An Jung Sik, who was a student of Jang Seung Eop, the very best possible lineage of Korean art royalty. Watercolors and ink on paper. Frame: 26.5 x 22 inches, 67 x 56 cm; Painting: 20 x 15.5 inches, 51 x 39 cm.

Exceedingly Scarce Joseon Dynasty Korean Porcelain Lamp, the first one ever offered outside of Korea. It is unlikely you will ever see another one offered for sale. A similar one recently sold at auction in Korea for $7000. Reference photos are posted here. 10.5 inches, 26.6 cm tall.

This exemplary work of 19th Century Korean folk art is sculpted in and painted on wood and metal and features the two most revered mythical creatures in Korea: The Yellow Dragon and The Blue Dragon. This creative composition has a patron couple who seem to have the dragons' tails coming out of them. The Dragon brings rain, blessings, and life. The Yellow Dragon writhes dynamically and shows its face at the top of this piece, while The Blue Dragon offers a foundation to the composition and makes its presence known with a single all-seeing eye protruding through the bottom. In ancient Korean cosmology, The Yellow Dragon rules from the center of the sky. Korean emperors chose from ancient times the symbol of The Yellow Dragon to represent the royal family. The Blue Dragon is the color of the sky and the sea and symbolizes the power of both. Farmers prayed to the Dragon for rain and fishermen prayed to him for a good catch, while fishermen's wives asked the Dragon to bring their husbands home safely. The Yellow Dragon and The Blue Dragon have been paired for millennia, with a wonderful example on the 7th century tomb of King Muyeol (reign 654-661). This tradition was continued by the 19th century owner of this sublime example with a string in the back for hanging and displaying in order to repel evil spirits while bringing blessings to the home. 20.25 x 14.25 inches, 51.5 x 36 cm.

A Superior Example of a Rare 19th Century Korean Hwajodo Bird and Flower Painting filled with ancient symbolism. This is, without a doubt, the most beautiful hwajodo we have ever had. These paintings were never signed, but this anonymous artist possessed superior skill and artistry. The pair of cranes symbolize eternal love, because cranes were believed to mate for life. The peonies symbolize love and prosperity. The rocks symbolize eternity. So the two combine to grant the wish for eternal prosperous love. That theme is reinforced here by the mythical bullocho longevity plants. The exquisitely rendered pine tree here is a symbol of longevity and wisdom. And finally, the clouds are also a longevity symbol. So the entire composition represents a beautiful and eternal marriage guided by wisdom and love and filled with prosperity. Frame: 32 x 14 inches, 81 x 35.5 cm. Painting: 21 x 9 inches, 53.5 x 23 cm.

Korean Contemporary Buncheong Ceramic Art by Kim See Man. Buncheong is a unique and centuries-old style of ceramics characterized by a white slip surface that is usually decorated in a spontaneous and expressive manner. This has been imitated in Japan's mishima ware. Kim See Man's work has been exhibited at a long list of major museums, including the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, Yale University Art Gallery, Freer/Sackler Gallery of Art, Indianapolis Museum of Art, Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Harvard University Art Museum, Detroit Institute of Arts, Saint Louis Museum of Art, Newark Museum, American Craft Museum, Portland Art Museum, Society for Contemporary Crafts, Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, Seattle Asian Art Museum, Vancouver Art Museum, Royal Ontario Museum, and many others. Artist signed wood box is included. 10.75 x 8 x 7.5 inches, 27 x 20 x 19 cm.

12th Century Conical Pure Celadon Bowl with perfect color and rare, sublime form. A Chinese philosopher of this period described Korean celadons as "The first under Heaven." This bowl is an exquisite example of the color that inspired this philosopher's immortal quote. 6w x 2h inches, 15w x 5h cm.

Passion of Korea 6. Silk Bojagi Korean Textile Art by renowned textile artist Hae Hong Chang. Chang's acclaimed bojagi have been exhibited in museums and galleries around the world. The Korean Art and Antiques website is the only online venue for her fine work. Hae Hong Chang is a Korea Bojagi Forum Recommended Artist. 22 x 20 inches, 55 x 50 cm.

Passion of Korea 5. Silk Bojagi Korean Textile Art by renowned textile artist Hae Hong Chang. Chang's acclaimed bojagi have been exhibited in museums and galleries around the world. The Korean Art and Antiques website is the only online venue for her fine work. Hae Hong Chang is a Korea Bojagi Forum Recommended Artist. 24 x 22 inches, 60 x 55 cm.