Catalog (335)

This is an important painting in Korean art history. It was featured as the very first illustration, Plate Number 1, in the catalogue of the historic Korean Cultural Service exhibition, Coloring Time, the first exhibition ever to cover the history of Korean art in America. This is Dragon in the Fog, painted in 1997 by Renowned Korean Artist Don Ahn aka Ahn Dong Kuk (1937 - 2013). Don Ahn was a pioneer of Korean art in America. In the 1950s he was the first to move permanently to the US and receive recognition here, beginning with the 1952 exhibition of his work at the Kilbride Bradley Gallery in Minneapolis, the very first exhibition of Korean contemporary art in America. His work is in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and other major museums. There was recently an exhibition of Don Ahn's work at the Walter Wickiser Gallery in New York's Chelsea art district. Acrylic on paper. 28.5 x 21 inches, 72.25 x 53.25 cm. See also preeminent art critic Holland Cotter's review of Don Ahn's work in the April 4, 1997 New York Times article, Of Asians Among the Abstractionists, where he describes Don's paintings as "Exuberant" and "Inspired by Zen brushwork".

Rare 19th Century Korean Antique Men's Mirror Box of High Quality Persimmon and Zelkova Wood. 10 x 8 x 6 inches, 25 x 20 x 15 cm.

13th Century Korean Inlaid Celadon Cosmetic Box. The chrysanthemum's many petals is an ancient symbol of an abundant life or fertility. Encircled with a key fret thunder pattern and rolling clouds motif. A rare and gorgeous piece. 3.25 inches wide x 1.75 inches high; 8.25 cm wide x 4.5 cm high.

Extremely Rare Set of Three Mumun Pots from the 3rd Century BCE from the Koejongdong site in Daejon near the Geum River. A similar example from the National Museum of Korea can be seen in Plate 34 in The Prehistory of Korea by Kim Jeong-hak. Prehistoric Korean pottery is so scarce outside of museums, that this is the only time we have ever acquired any. According to Professor Choi Jong-taek of Korea University, these everted lipped pots with their distinctive color and texture date from the period in Korea when the Bronze Age was giving way to the Iron Age, and the Mumun pottery period was ending with these types of pots with a greater hardness and fired at a higher temperature than previous Mumun pots, that is, about 300 BCE. This was a brief but very important transitional period into higher technology and culture in Korea, from the the end of the Mumun Pottery Period to the beginning of the Iron Age, so pieces from this defining period are rare. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a collector. Dimensions from tallest to shortest are: #1 - 4 inches height x 11.5 inches circumference (10 cm height x 29 cm circumference); #2 - 3.5 inches height x 14 inches circumference (9 cm height x 35.5 cm circumference); #3 - 3 inches height x 12.5 inches circumference (7.5 cm height x 32 cm circumference).

Red Lacquered Safe with Beautiful Metalwork with auspicious symbols: a tortoise lock (symbol of longevity),peach drawer pulls (a symbol of longevity), the diamond-shaped Seven Treasures symbol, floral scrolls throughout, and the wan (the wheel of life and symbol of universal peace and harmony) is a symbol so ancient it actually predates Buddhism and originally represented the revolving sun. In Buddhism it represents the Heart of the Buddha, happiness, and resignation of spirit. 14.5d x 10w x 11h inches, 37d x 15.5w x 28h cm.

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.

Exceedingly Scarce Set of Three Iron Age Korean Pots with Exquisite Color and Beautiful Form. 4th to 1st Century BC. You are unlikely to ever see another Iron Age Korean pot offered for sale, much less a set of three. The remaining examples are all in museums or tightly held private collections. These prehistoric pieces are finely potted and made from soft and sandy red clay. They are aesthetically striking in both color and form and are historically significant. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the scholar/collector/aesthete. Right Pot Dimensions: 16.25 inches (41cm) circumference, 3.25 inches (8.5cm) height. Middle Pot Dimensions: 18.25 inches (46.5cm) circumference, 4 inches (10cm) height. Left Pot Dimensions: 12.5 inches (32cm) circumference, 2.75 inches (7cm) height.

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.

Rare Red Lacquered Inkstone Box of Drawers adorned with ancient symbolism: bullocho (mythical longevity plant) lock plates, bat (symbol of happiness) drawer pulls, and swallowtail (symbol of beauty) braces. The inkstone box was a Korean scholar's most treasured item. He handled it every day, when he would take out the contents to write and paint. The lid opens to reveal the compartment for the inkstone. The drawers hold the brush, ink, and paper. Together these, with the inkstone, are the "scholar's four friends." An inkstone box in royal red lacquer is exceedingly scarce. 11.5 D x 9.75 H x 8.25 W.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Passion of Korea 4. 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.

Rare and Beautifully Embroidered Joseon Dynasty Korean Scholar's Rank Badge (Fusu) adorned with metallic thread throughout giving it a luxurious sheen. After 19 years in business, we have finally acquired a rare Korean rank badge (fusu) for the first time. This one belonged to a scholar aristocrat, as indicated by the cranes. It is rendered in a unique and lovely golden palette and is wonderfully designed with clouds (symbol of longevity), peonies (symbol of wealth or abundance), and rows of wan symbols (the wheel of life and symbol of universal peace and harmony). The wan is a symbol so ancient it actually predates Buddhism and originally represented the revolving sun. In Buddhism it represents the Heart of the Buddha, happiness, and resignation of spirit. 17.5 x 10.5 inches, 44.5 x 27 cm.

Passion of Korea 3. 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. 17.5 x 16 inches, 44 x 40 cm.

Passion of Korea 2. 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. 17.5 x 16 inches, 44 x 40 cm.