Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art (181)

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.

Beautifully Carved Indonesian Antique Inkline Carpenter's Tool for marking straight lines with ink. From the Irwin Hersey Collection of Indonesian Art. Irwin Hersey was the author of Indonesian Primitive Art. Catalog #ID288 from the Hersey Collection. 6 x 3.75 x 2.5 inches, 15.25 x 9.5 x 6.25 cm.

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 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).

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.

19th Century Tibetan Thangka of Yama and Consort with original silk mount and silk cover from a renowned and published collection. Mount: 36 x 26 inches (91 x 66 cm), Painting: 24.5 x 18 inches (62 x 46 cm).

Rare and beautiful late 19th Century painting of the Korean Mountain Spirit (Sansin) with a scarce sacred white tiger and boy attendant (Dongja) alongside a stream in an idyllic mountain landscape on finely handwoven silk mounted on a gold silk scroll. Sansin's tiger is the animal lord of the mountain and the messenger for Sansin and the enforcer of his will. The white tiger holds special meaning in Korea. It was believed that when a tiger survived challenges and attained wisdom, his fur turned white and he became a sacred spirit. The tiger is a national symbol of Korea and the white tiger was the mascot of the 2018 Winter Olympics in Korea. Very few antique Korean paintings with white tigers are in existence. The Dongja holds Sansin's wood staff, as gnarled as the pine tree under which he sits. The pine tree is a symbol of longevity and tenacity. In a country where most of the land is covered by mountains, it makes sense that Sansin the Mountain Spirit is the most revered of Korea's native deities. He is the god most often appealed to for fertility, prosperity, and longevity. This Sansin is a great example of the open-minded syncretism of ancient Korean belief. He is a deity of purely Korean Shamanist origin, crowned by a delicately painted Confucian hat, wearing a Buddhist robe, and being attended by a Dongja boy in a utopian Daoist mountain landscape. Sansin paintings can be found in the Sansin-gak shrine of Korean Buddhist temples. Gold silk mount: 59 x 31.5 inches (80 cm). Painting: 36.5 x 25.5 inches (93 x 65 cm).

Geese and Reeds Painting (Noando) on fine silk mounted on luxurious gold silk by Yang Ki Hun aka Seokyeon (1843-1897) from Pyeongyang, signed Seokyeon. Yang Ki Hun's signature 'boneless' style (painting without outlines, using ink washes) beautifully captures light and shade. The literal meaning of 'noando' is reed and geese painting, but it is a play on words, as 'no' means both reed and old, and 'an' means both geese and comfort ('do' means painting). So 'noan' can mean 'reed and geese' or 'old comfort', and so a painting of geese and reeds symbolized a wish for a comfortable and peaceful old age. This particular painting has further meaning because it depicts two pair of geese. Geese were believed to mate for life, so this painting symbolizes eternal love, and the wish for a couple to grow old together in peace and comfort. Yang Ki Hun was a member of the Royal Academy of Painting in the 19th Century. He made a living by painting for the king and his court, and also by selling his paintings in Pyeongyang. Here are two great quotes from Yang Ki Hun's contemporary, the painter and calligrapher Chi Un Yeong (aka Paekryeon): "Yang Ki Hun's paintings stir up my jealousy because they seem completely freed from all ideas and restraints". And after Seokyeon (Yang Ki Hun) passed away, Chi Un Yeong wrote, "Seokyeon told me that when he stayed on Neungna Island for a few years some time ago, he often saw geese fly in and land on a reed field, so he was able to paint them in a realistic way. His words still linger vividly in my ears. I remember playing with him thirty years ago in the Taedong River, and it seems so far away and dream-like." Ink on paper. Silk Mounting: 76 x 19.5 inches, 193 x 49.5 cm; Painting: 44 x 14 inches, 112 x 35.5 cm. The fifth photo here shows the market price for Yang Ki Hun paintings, which is much higher than the attractive price at which we are offering this fine painting.

Unique Burmese Gilded Bronze Buddha with Human Face and an Inscription that winds around the circumference. 10 inches, 25.5 cm.

Very Rare Painted Wood 19th Century Korean Funerary Figure (Kkokdu). These are so rare that is has been twenty years since we last had one for sale. We recently acquired a pair, this one and Stock #1588. Kkokdu were guardian figures that were believed to accompany the deceased in the afterlife. They were burned after the funeral, so very few have survived. There are a couple of kkokdu museums in Korea that have acquired just about all of the remaining kkokdu. So don't miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own a vital piece of Korean Joseon Era culture. Height: 10.25 inches, 26 cm.

Orchids and Rocks Painting 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 painting. Ink on paper. Frame: 61.5 x 21 inches, 156 x 53 cm. Painting: 52 x 12.75 inches, 132 32.5 cm. (A much smaller Daewongun painting sold at Christie's for $12,500 on March 18, 2014).

You rarely see 19th Century Korean tiger paintings offered for sale anymore, especially in excellent condition like this one. The last time we had one was 15 years ago, and it will probably be at least that long until have another one to offer. When they do come up in auctions now, they sell for five figures. That's because there is nothing anywhere like Joseon Era Korean tiger folk paintings. Tigers in Korean paintings are not ferocious. They are humorous and full of personality. And each one is unique, like this fellow here with his quizzical and lovable face as he is being addressed by the magpies. This was a favorite symbol of the common folks and represented the people speaking truth to power. The pine tree is a symbol of longevity and wisdom. The azaleas symbolize beauty. This painting is very "Korean." It is painted in ink and colors on traditional and old hanji paper. Korean tiger folk paintings are never signed. Frame: 45 x 29 inches (114 x 74 cm), Painting: 38 x 22 inches (97 x 56 cm).

Old Greenland Inuit Figure. The second photo shows the superb face rendered on the attachment. From the collection of Irwin Hersey, renowned author on 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. 7 inches, 18 cm.

The peony is an ancient symbol of love and prosperity in Korea. We have been trying since we opened 19 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 a floral painting and 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 here a beautifully framed Peony 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 strokes to radiant ink washes. 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. Ink on paper. Frame: 67 x 20.5 inches, 170 x 52 cm. Painting: 55 x 13.25 inches, 140 x 33.5 cm.

Rare Antique Korean Spirit Shrine Painting (Kam Mo Yo Je Do). Spirit House Paintings are in the collections of several major museums. This painting would have been placed in a place of reverence in the home, and on the anniversary of an ancestor's death, a slip of paper with the ancestor's name would be placed on the blank space in the open doorway of the shrine in the painting and a ritual would have been performed in front of the painting. Kammo means 'to adore with deep emotion' and Yoje means 'to respectfully address the spirits as if they were at the ceremony', and Do means 'painting'. Ink on paper. Frame: 37.5 x 27 inches, 95 x 68.5 cm; Painting: 31 x 21 inches, 79 x 53.5 cm.

Antique Stone and Metal Chinese Seal Chop from the published and renowned collection of Sam Hilu, a prominent author and adviser on traditional Asian art. 5 inches, 12.5 cm.

Bhutanese Bon Deity Kyung Mask of Papier Mache, 15 inches, 38 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.