Catalog (31)

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.

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.

Beautiful Korean Antique Wood Safe with Fine Zelkova and Burlwood Grain and Lovely Floral Metalwork. The bat-shaped handle plates on the front doors are an ancient symbol of good luck because they are pronounced the same as the word for happiness, "bok". The metalwork also has lotus blossoms throughout, an ancient symbol of rebirth because the lotus rises above the muck of the pond to show its face to the Sun. 24.5w x 18d x 21h inches, 62w x 46d x 53.5h cm.

19th Century Korean Black Lacquered Mirror Box with Mother-of-Pearl Inlay of a pair of cranes, representing longevity and marital bliss, and peaches of immortality and abundant and propitious floral and geometric patterns. As is usually the case, the mirror is replaced. 9 x 7.5 x 4.5 inches, 23 x 19 x 11.5 cm.

19th Century Rare and Elegant Walnut Wood Korean Scholar's Document Box (Munseoham). 15w x 10h x 8d inches, 38w x 25.5h x 20.5d cm.

14th Century Korean Inlaid Celadon Cosmetic Box with a rich color right in the middle of the blue-green of the Goryeo Period and the gray-green of the Joseon Period. 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.

Fine, Rare 19th Century Korean Inkstone Box with Tortoise-Form Handle and Deep, Dark Grain. Elegant form and deep color. The tortoise is an ancient symbol of steadfastness and longevity. The underside of his shell was believed to conceal the secrets of the universe. So this box would have held the same meaning to the one who used it. The black tortoise depicted here was the king of all tortoises, with extraordinary powers to protect one from evil. The inkstone box was a Korean scholar's most treasured item. He handled it every day, when he would take out his inkstone to begin writing or painting. This is a fine example with a rare form that must have been inspiring and contemplative for the original owner. 11 x 7.25 x 3.75 inches, 28 x 18.5 x 9.5 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.

Korean Antique Compartmented Inkstone Box and Old Brush. This box has a warm beauty that comes from its lovely form and beautiful patina that shows many years of devoted use by a Joseon Dynasty Korean scholar. 10 x 7 x 1.25 inches, 25.5 x 17.75 x 3 cm.

Early 20th Century Large Black-Lacquered Mother-of-Pearl Box, in fair condition with much loss of the mother-of-pearl. The brass hardware is old but is not original. 31.5 x 18.5 x 16.5 inches, 80 x 47 x 42 cm.

Luxurious 19th Century Korean Black-Lacquered Mother-of-Pearl Comb and Cosmetics Box (Bitjup). This fine example is larger than other lacquered comb boxes. It is 11.25 x 11.25 x 10 inches (28.5 x 28.5 x 25.5 cm). The pairs of birds represent love, the hexagonal motif on the middle drawers is the ancient tortoise-back symbol of longevity, the peony on the bottom right drawer represents abundance and wealth with its full and abundant petals, the peaches on the lower left drawer and the peach-shaped middle drawer pulls are symbols of longevity, and the top and bottom drawer pulls in the form of a bat are symbols of happiness and good fortune, because the words for bat and happiness are pronounced the same. This is a stunning 19th Century box filled with ancient and meaningful symbolism.

Antique Korean Black Inkstone Box and Antique Inkstone. The poem on the lid is a beautiful work of calligraphy. It can be read in two directions as "Celebrated mountain object" and "Celebrated mountain extraordinary wisdom", meaning that this object will be used in the pursuit of wisdom. The inkstone has a banana leaf motif, referencing the 8th Century Chinese scholar and celebrated calligrapher, Huaisu who wrote on banana leaves when he ran out of paper. A rare and most interesting find. 9.5w x 6d x 2.75h inches, 24w x 15d x 7h cm.

17 x 9.25 x 6 inches, 43 x 23.5 x 15 cm. Rare 18th Century Korean Animal Hide and Wood Box. There is a similar 18th Century example in the Tenri University Sankokan Museum, illustrated in the book The Korean Relics in Japan Volume 4, page 339.

16.5 x 8.5 x 5.25 inches, 42 x 21.5 x 13.5 cm. Rare 18th Century Korean Animal Hide Box. There is a similar 18th Century example in the Tenri University Sankokan Museum, illustrated in the book The Korean Relics in Japan Volume 4, page 339.

17 x 9 x 7 inches, 43 x 23 x 18 cm. Rare 18th Century Korean Animal Hide Box. There is a similar 18th Century example in the Tenri University Sankokan Museum, illustrated in the book The Korean Relics in Japan Volume 4, page 339.

Rare 19th Century Black Lacquered Box with Mother-of-Pearl Cranes (symbol of longevity and eternal love, because cranes were believed to mate for life), Peach Trees (symbol of longevity), Plum Blossoms (symbol of courage because the plum blossom blooms early, before winter is finished), and Peonies (symbol of prosperity). 20w x 11.5d x 11.75h, 51w x 29d x 30h cm.

Rare 19th Century Black Lacquered Box with Mother-of-Pearl River and Mountain Landscape and Plum Blossoms (the plum blossom is a symbol of courage because it blooms early, before winter is quite finished). For centuries in Korea, a rendering of a mountain and river (called Sansu in Korean) is more than a beautiful landscape; it is also a profound philosophical and spiritual statement. Heaven, Earth, and Humanity are represented, by the mountain, river, and human figures, respectively. 18w x 10.5d x 10h inches, 45.75w x 26.5d x 25.5h cm.

Rare 19th Century Black Lacquered Box with Mother-of-Pearl with a Beautiful Seascape and Ten Symbols of Long Life (Sipjangsaeng): pine tree, sun, deer, crane, clouds, the mythical bullocho plant, rocks, peaches, bamboo, and river. When the deer and crane are paired, as they are here, they are also a symbol of eternal love. 17w x 10.25d x 11h inches, 43w x 26d x 28h cm.