Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art: Asian: Korean (17)

Scene of three sailing boats on a sea surrounded by mountains and a rocky shore. The two curving sides have a line of stylized brushwork. The flat base has sand and kiln grit adherence. Very good condition, with only very minor wear.

Length: 3 in.; Height: 1 in.

Acquired in Osaka, Japan in mid 1970s.

Painted on two sides with a floral spray in underglaze cobalt blue, highlighted with copper red. Likely over-fired causing the lower body to sag on one side. The clear, bluish tinged glaze was applied thickly and ran during the firing causing the blurring of the design on one side and an almost disappearance of the design on the other side. The glaze is evenly crackled with a pale brown staining from time and use. There is an old crack on the shoulder with associated rim cracks. The footring and the glazed base have grit adhering from the firing.

Height: 8 ¾ in.

The top is decorated with a mountainous landscape with trees and stylized birds in flight. The sides have three calligraphic flourishes. A low footring encircles the glazed base. Sand and kiln grit covers the entire footring with small areas of sand adhering to the base. The pouring spout has been restored and there is a small, shallow chip on the top near the edge above the mountain.

Diameter: 3 ¼ in.; Height: 1 3/8 in.

Acquired in Japan in 1975.

This saucer dish, raised on a fairly narrow foot displays the “shibui” and “wabicha” aesthetics sought after by Japanese tea practitioners as well as “Mingei” collectors. The brown stoneware body was hastily brushed on the interior and underneath the dish in a rapid manner with no consideration of perfection. The white slip was applied while the piece was still wet from the potter's wheel. After drying, it was dipped in clear glaze, and on this piece, leaving a V-shaped glaze void exposing an area of dry white slip and brown body – a desirable lack of attention to detail in Japanese tea aesthetics. Where the clear glaze covers the brown body, it appears gray. The foot and base are glazed and partially rubbed off the footring, or possibly worn off through use. The dish leans somewhat when standing on its footring. A small area underneath the rim is unglazed. There is an old hairline crack about one inch long, some kiln grit on the base, good wear and well-worn patina. I purchased this piece in Kyoto in the early 1970s and it was used by my tea ceremony teacher from time to time.

Diameter: 5 ¼ in., Height: 1 3/8 in.

A stamped design of repeating flower heads laid out in concentric bands covers the interior. The exterior sides have a similar band between incised lines. The depressions are filled with white slip which is then wiped clean off the surfaced, leaving the white clay in the impressed design. A clear glaze covers the design and most of the body. The footring, base, and a portion of the lower body are unglazed. There are two small chips on the footring probably from firing spurs.

Diameter: 4 ¼ in., Height: 1 ½ in.

Covered entirely except for the footring in a clear glaze with a bluish tinge. Open to the base to accommodate a stemcup. Very good condition. No cracks or chips. Some sand adheres to the foot and base.

Diameter: 4 5/8 in.; Height: 3 ¼ in.

This jar is stoutly potted, having a tall neck and flaring body, resting on a thick grit-coated footring and slightly recessed base. It is clear glazed without decoration. Small gray and brown iron impurities in the clay freely show through the clear glaze. This is a mingei type folk craft item intended to use in the home. There are several stable hairline cracks from age, stained brown in the rim area.

Height: 3 ¾ in., Width: 4 ¾ in.

Rare and large deep bowl with an everted rim set on a fairly tall and slightly tapering foot. On the interior, the deep well descends to a shallow circular depression about 2 ½ in. in diameter. The entire bowl is covered with a clear glaze of bluish-grey cast except for a portion of the footring. A short, uneven portion in the rim is due to a potting flaw that was repaired by the potter before firing as was also a small gouge to the lower foot. Fine white granules remain on the footring from the firing. The condition is good--no cracks or damage from age or use.

Diameter: 7 in.; Height: 4 ¼ in.

Raised on low feet incorporated into the shape of the four flat sides. The top and sides are bordered by a single blue line. On each side, framed within four corners is a quickly painted floral motif. On the top is a more detailed plant and floral design. Though generally in good condition, there is evidence of use. The glaze on top is considerably worn. There are a few minor glaze chips. Fine white sand from the firing remains on the feet and a grain of sand adheres to the glazed base. The pouring spout is intact.

Length: 2 ½ in. (square); Height: 1 5/8 in.

Painted in underglaze iron with a stylized design, possibly of a duck. Covered entirely with a grayish-green celadon glaze, barely wiped from the footring. Minor sand adhesion to the foot. No chips or cracks.

Diameter: 2 1/8 in.; Height: 1 ¼ in.

Deep circular box with shallow, slightly domed lid extensively inlaid with silver overall. The box is decorated with “double happiness characters on two sides with the portion in-between filled with stylized butterflies and foliage with a continuous floral band encircling the lower portion. The top of the lid is inlaid with auspicious symbols surrounded by bands of butterflies and foliage. The side of the lid has a fretwork design. The base is applied with three low semi-spherical iron feet. The interior has an even, blackist oxidation, very good condition, no losses.

Height: 3 ¼ in.; diameter: 5 7/8 in.

This bowl was wheel-formed and then pressed into a mold while still soft to create an octagonal form. The soft stoneware clay was then carved and impressed with a stylized chrysanthemum design, allowed to dry, and then covered with a slip of white liquid clay which filled the incising. The residue was wiped or carved off leaving the crisp design in white against the darker clay. The entire bowl, including the base and footring was covered in a pale green celadon glaze having a close crackle that is typical of such wares. It was fired on small stones of which some adhered to the base, which is again typical of Korean celadon wares from the 1200s. There are a few glaze crawls as seen in the photos, but no cracks or restorations. This is a rare bowl in unusually good condition for its age.

Height: 1 ¾ in.; Diameter: 4 ½ in.

This vase is covered overall in brushed slip (hakeme) with three registers of incised horizontal lines from which issue simple flame-like patterns. The brushed slip decoration extends into the flaring mouth and down to the footring. The foot is completely obscured by adhering fused sand from the firing. There are a couple of unintended copper red dots from the glaze. The condition is very good, having no chips cracks or repairs.

Height: 5 ¾ in., Diameter: 3 ½ in.

The bronze disk forming the base is decorated with an evening floral scene with an inlaid silver moon with incised stylized clouds. The incised plum branch is set with inlaid gilt copper flower blossoms. The large blossoms in high relief are overlaid with silver and have inlaid gold leaves and copper leaves in relief. The well is finely woven to resemble bamboo basketry using thin strips of patinated copper and finished off with a rim in bronze convincingly cast to look like bamboo. Good condition with excellent craftsmanship, some light wear and mottling to the patina, unsigned.

Diameter: 10 ½ in.; Height: 1 ½ in.

Body and rim are densely inlaid with silver in various geometric patterns. There are medallions on two sides with silver-inlaid scenes of a pair of deer and a pair of cranes, both being symbols of longevity. On the adjacent sides are movable pendant handles with fretwork inlay. The interior and base have a blackish oxidation and areas of minor rust. Condition is very good. The silver is all intact. Some lopsidedness is characteristic of this type of work and is a result of the original craftsmanship. Braziers such as this one were used in the man’s quarters of the Korean house, being used for hand-warming, a smoking accessory and for burning incense.

Length: 6 in. (square); Height: 5 in.

Glazed entirely including the foot and base with a pale greenish-grey glaze, and decorated on two sides with bold stylized calligraphic designs. Good condition except for a small chip to the mouth rim. The foot retains evidence of at least eight spurs on which it was fired and possibly a dusting of wood ash from the firing adding character and a bit of visual texture to the upper body.

Diameter: 3 ½ in.; Height: 2 ¼ in.

Decorated in cobalt blue with a design of chrysanthemum and bamboo, stoutly potted and glazed with a clear glaze of faintly aqua tint. Very minor glaze pitting and surface scratches, slight wood ash dusting seen mostly on the shoulder of one side, small amount of sand adhering to the foot, otherwise very good condition.

Height: 10 ¼ in.