Catalog (8)

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.

19th Century Korean Temple Guardian Dragons. These works of wood temple art are rarely offered for sale, and this special pair of dragons is even more scarce because it is painted on both sides. The dragon both guards the temple and guides the people in their quest for knowledge and truth. The blue dragon represents the sky and the yellow dragon the seas. They both clutch the pearl of wisdom and immortality in their mouths. The dancheong style of Korean temple architectural art dates back to the fourth century. "Danchoeng" is based on five colors: blue (east), white (west), red (south), black (north), and yellow (center). 42 x 11.5 inches, 107 x 29 cm.

Rare and Sublime Mother and Daughter Pair of Antique Korean Wood Dolls. A beautiful representation of the Soul of Korean Folk Art. Mother: 10h x 3w x 2d inches, 25.5 x 7.5 x 5 cm; Daughter: 8.25h x 2.5w x 1.5d inches, 21h x 6.5w x 4d cm.

This spectacular and truly one-of-a kind telephone was not only crafted by what was Korea's premier lacquer and mother-of-pearl company in the mid 20th Century (Kimpo Chilgi Gongyaesa), this is the one-off deluxe telephone that they made for themselves to use in their own office, so they put everything into this phone, and there really is no other like it. The label, like the rest of the telephone , is in remarkable condition, so you can still read the company name and telephone number on the label. The phone actually works, and it spins on the stand like a lazy susan. This is a grand and beautiful piece of Korean history. 11.5w x 7.5h inches, 29w x 19 cm.

Rare Old Korean Map with Beautiful Topographic Detail of Korea's many mountain ranges. The list of kings at the bottom ends with Sukjong, whose reign ended in 1720. It also has a list of distances from various places to the capital, and mileage charts of distances between various locations. Map: 42 x 24 inches, 106.5 x 61 cm; Frame: 59 x 30.25 inches, 150 x 77 cm.

Rare Pair of Large Painted Korean Funeral Bier Panels imbued with syncretic symbolism, with painted lotuses that are profound symbols in Buddhism of rebirth and purity, and attached painted Taoist pullocho, the mythical longevity plant, projecting in in a row from the front, all used in the service of a Shamanist funeral ritual. A fine, rare and striking example of old Korean folk art, and a great example of the traditional Korean open-mindedness and blending of religious faiths. 86 inches (118.5cm) long x 8 inches (20.5cm) tall.

Beautifully Rendered and Painted Korean Rooster Funerary Figure. Funerary figures (kkoktu), were used on the funeral bier. Traditionally, these figures would be burned after their use, but thankfully this one survived the pyre and what was intended to be an ephemeral existence. It was removed to the home and used as a good luck and guardian figure to bless and protect the home. Because it was believed that the rooster's morning cry drove away the night's evil spirits, an important talisman to ward off evil spirits was wood-carved roosters. They are a very important icon in traditional Korean folk art and in Korean tradition in general. The rooster’s comb symbolizes intelligence; traditional officials’ hats are based on the comb. The claws mean strength. The rooster was called the 'clock bird' and was sacred to Koreans. 14h x 9w inches, 35.5h x 23w cm.

Rare Antique Korean Funerary Figure (Kkokdu) with much of its original pigment still intact. From a renowned and published New York collection. One of the finer examples we have seen. 11.5 inches, 29.5 cm.