Catalog (333)

Garuda Mask from Sherdukpen, Arunachal Pradesh, 12.5 inches, 31.5 cm.

Fine and Rare Korean 19th Century Guardian Painting in Gold Leaf and Mineral Pigments on Silk in Excellent Condition with Vivid Colors. This would have hung on the door of a home to protect the household. This is the finest example of a door guardian painting we have ever seen. Frame: 22 x 10 inches, 56 x 25.5 cm; Painting: 19.5 x 7.5 inches, 50 x 19 cm.

Fine, Rare Eight-Panel Painting by Revered Korean Artist Kim Eung Won aka Soho (1855-1921). Similar to the Kim Eung Won screen in the royal Changdeok 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. 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 of the only other Kim Eung Won screen offered for sale. The "sale" price is more than double the price we are asking here. This is the only Kim Eung Won eight-panel painting we have ever offered in our 18 years in business. Ink on paper. 54 x 14 inches, 137.5 x 35.5 cm unmounted. (A much smaller and single Daewongun painting sold at Christie's for $12,500 on March 18, 2014).

Fine Old Balinese Barong Mask. Best known antique example on the market. With handles and movable jaw. From a published and renowned collection. Barong, King of the Spirits, protects families from the evil Queen Rangda of the mythical Leyak child-eating witches. 17.5 x 11 x 9 inches, 44.5 x 28 x 23 cm.

Fine Nepalese Mask of a Rare Type with Pigments. 10.5 inches, 26.75 cm. From the collection of Irwin Hersey, renowned author on Asian and primitive art, and publisher of the Primitive Art Newsletter in the 1970s. Irwin Hersey was an advisor to museums and prominent collectors, and vetted pieces for many of the international tribal art fairs and Asian art fairs.

Very Finely Embroidered Deluxe Pair of Korean Pillow Ends with Two Cranes (symbol of a long and happy life together) and Peonies (symbol of love and prosperity). A very special pair. Mounted and framed, but the frame is in disrepair and should be replaced. 5.5 x 4.25 inches, 14 x 11 cm each.

Fine and Beautifully Embroidered 19th Century Korean Ironing Board from the renowned, published, and exhibited Lea Sneider textiles collection. This truly deluxe Korean ironing board is the finest example we have seen of an embroidered ironing board, and is filled with imaginatively rendered symbolism. Geese mate for life, so they are an ancient symbol of fidelity, and the lotus is a symbol of purity and rebirth, because the lotus rises above the muck of the pond to show its face to the Sun. 22.5 x 6.5 inches (57 x 16.5 cm).

Fine 19th Century Lacquered Chinese Theater Mask with a splendid face and big grin that looks great from every angle. From the collection of Sam Hilu, prominent collector and author on Asian and African art. Wood, lacquer, and pigments. 7.5h x 6.5w x 3d inches, 19d x 16.5w x 7.5d cm.

Fine 19th Century Korean Royal Court Painting of Children at Play. This genre of Korean paintings always displays children playing in imaginary Chinese court costumes, and is called Baekdongja-do in Korean. From the ground-breaking Auspicious Spirits, Korean Folk Paintings exhibition catalogue: "Depicting the children as court nobility expressed an auspicious desire that one's own children achieve success in life." This exceptional example was displayed in the room of a wife in the Korean royal court to inspire her to become pregnant and to have healthy, playful, and successful children. It was also displayed on the first birthday of each child. Ink and colors on silk. 40 x 14.5 inches, 101.5 x 37 cm.

Rare 18th Century Burmese Wood Doll with Leather Skirt, Articulated Arms, and Painted Leather Hat Acquired by Irwin Hersey from Ohly's of London in 1976. 10 inches, 25.5 inches. From the collection of Irwin Hersey, renowned author on Asian and primitive art, and publisher of the Primitive Art Newsletter in the 1970s. Irwin Hersey was an advisor to museums and prominent collectors, and vetted pieces for many of the international tribal art fairs and Asian art fairs.

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.

Ode to Autumn, fan painting by one of Korea's most famous contemporary artists who worked in the traditional style, Lee Nam Ho aka Geum Chu (1908-2001), beautifully framed and newly silk mounted. The sparrow sings to the beautiful flower of autumn, the camellia, an ancient symbol of faithfulness in Korea. The bamboo on the right is a symbol of resilience and integrity. When faced with a strong wind, the bamboo bends but does not break, just as the person with determination and principle, even when pressed down, doesn't give up and resumes their upright posture. The rock is a symbol of eternity, so when it is with the bamboo and camellia, it is a poetic representation of eternal adherence to principle and undying faithfulness. Ink and colors on paper. Frame: 34.75 x 19 inches (88.25 x 48.25 cm), Painting: 22.5 x 11.5 inches (57 x 29 cm).

Extremely Scarce Set of Five Prehistoric Korean Arrowheads from Korea's Neolithic Period 8000-1500 BCE. These faceted arrowheads are identical to the Neolithic arrowheads on page 31 of the catalog, the 29th United Association of the University Museums of Korea Exhibition - Korea's Bow and Arrow, The Military Academy Museum. Sizes range from 1.75 to 3.25 inches. It is unlikely you will ever again see prehistoric Korean arrowheads offered for sale.

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).

Exquisite Hagi Tea Bowl by the Last Korean Princess, Yi Bangja (1901 - 1989). The glaze is the same prized biwa color and earthy texture as that achieved by 16th-17th century Korean Hagi potters living in Japan. The foot features the shrunken glaze that was used in those days. Diameter: 5.5 inches, 14 cm. Height: 3 inches, 7.5 cm. Part of a special and stunning collection we have acquired of ceramics created by one of Korea's most revered artists and beloved humanitarians. You now have the rare opportunity to own a beautiful work of art and an important piece of Korean history created by the last member of the royal household to reside in Korea's royal palace. Princess Yi Bangja devoted her entire life to the education of mentally and physically handicapped people, and worked tirelessly to support them. She is the subject of television and stage dramas, operas, movies, and books, including her autobiography, "The World is One."

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.

Joo Ji Wan's meditative groups of celadon cubes reference Korea’s ancient tradition of geometric patterns in a contemporary form. Her work was recently displayed at the Korea Society exhibition, Korean Contemporary Ceramics, and it was her work alone that was chosen for the cover of the exhibition catalogue. This fine set of 13 cubes is the very last set of cubes that Joo Ji Wan will offer for sale, as she is moving on to other projects, and there are no more cubes in her inventory or in the inventory of any gallery. She has saved this grand set of cubes, her very best, for last. Joo Ji Wan's work was also in From The Fire: Contemporary Korean Ceramics, an historic traveling exhibition of works by 54 of Korea’s best contemporary ceramic artists. It has traveled to major museums all over the world, and is the most important exhibition ever mounted on Korean contemporary ceramics. The artist given the very prestigious honor of having her work chosen for the front and back covers of the beautiful hardcover exhibition catalogue was Joo Ji Wan. In fact, her work alone was also chosen for the cover of all brochures and literature related to this most important exhibition, and so has become the symbol of contemporary Korean ceramics. Joo Ji Wan'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. It is appropriate that Joo offers her work in sets that are described with musical terms, such as Duo, Trio, Quartet, Ensemble, etc. Musical metaphor is almost required in describing Joo’s inlaid celadon and porcelain cube sets. Consider the melodic interplay of the pieces within a set, the rhythm of the patterns that are inlaid in each piece, and the harmony of the set as a whole. Just as music is mathematical but should not be predictable, Joo’s forms are simple, mathematically fundamental cubes that are inlaid with labyrinthine surprises rooted in Korea’s ancient tradition of geometric patterns imbued with centuries of meaning. Artistic innovation deeply rooted in Korea’s long celadon tradition is what puts Joo Ji Wan at the vanguard of Korean art today. Each cube: 5.25 inches, 13.25 cm. Entire Display: 31w x 21d x 26.5h inches, 78.75w x 53.25d x 67.25h cm.

Meditative calligraphy: Empty Your Heart and Mind by Lee Nam Ho aka Geum Choo (1908-2001). Lee Nam Ho is renowned as a painter. This is a rare and fine example of his calligraphy. 26 x 12 inches, 65.5 x 31 cm.