CONTEMPORAY FURNITURE BASED ON TRADITIONAL DESIGNS.

DREAM OF BUTTERFLY. Kim Hyunhee “Dream of the Butterfly” is a piece of furniture that reinterprets the butterfly pattern known as “Phalaenopsis” and incorporates it as a distinctive style element. The butterfly pattern was primarily employed as a decorative motif in furniture to symbolize the auspicious themes of “joy and happiness,” or to represent the […]

GYEONGGI DO BANDAJI – 경기도 반닫이

Featured image at the top of this post: Gyeonggi Do Bandaji from the National Museum of Korea. Gyeonggi Do province or Kyonggi Do, where the capital city of Seoul is located, lies in the northern western part of the peninsula. The north, south and eastern part of the province are covered by mountains. Bandaji chests, […]

ANTIQUE FURNITURE COLLECTIONS IN KOREA.

EWHA WOMAN’S UNIVERSITY. SEOUL. Korean Furniture Collection. More than 500 pieces are featured in the collection of the Ewha Woman’s University Museum in Seoul, Korea. Woman’s University Museum in Seoul, Korea. The museum was open on April 6, 1935, as part of the university’s efforts to preserve Korea’s rich cultural heritage. HO-AM ART MUSEUM. SEOUL. […]

CHUNGCHEONG DO BANDAJI – 충청도 반닫이

Located in the central western part of South Korea, Chungcheong Do was one of the eight provinces of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty.The name of the province derives from the name of the principal city of Cheongju. It lies between Gyeonggi Province in the north, Jeolla Province in the south, and Gyeongsan and Gangwon Provinces […]

GANGWON DO BANDAJI – 강원도 반닫이

Gangwon Do, also known as Kangwon Province, has Chuncheon as its capital city. Before the division of Korea in 1945, this part of South Korea and its North Korean neighbor constituted a single province, as depicted on the map below. Gangwon Province is bordered to the west by Gyeonggi Province, to the south by the […]

THE WARDROBE – UIGORI JANG 의걸이장

A wardrobe chest (Kwanbok-Jang or Uigori-Jang) has much larger doors than any other type of Jang. This type of wardrobe illustrates the end of the “Hermit Kingdom,” as Korea was known for its isolation. Towards the end of the 19th century and the emergence of economic industrialization, Korea opened its borders, and some Western influence […]

IN SEARCH OF KOREAN TRADITIONAL FURNITURE.

Browsing the internet is a great way to explore various pieces of Korean antique furniture. On display are items sourced from different galleries, auction houses, museums, and private collectors. INTERESTING LINKS: THE SOUL OF 한국 PYONGYANG BANDAJI Elaborately decorated with ornate brass mounts in various geometric forms, some of which have incised landscapes and other […]

THE COIN CHEST – 돈궤

Among Korean furniture, the coin chest called “Ton-Kwe” in Korean is quite easy to recognize. With an average size of H. 45cm, L. 100 – 120cm, D. 35 – 45cm, it consist of a low box made of heavy thick bold wooden panels. This sturdy piece of furniture was usually made of elm or pine […]

KOREAN FURNITURE. Identification, Genuine or reproduction pieces

KOREAN FURNITURE AVAILABLE ON THE MARKET In response to various inquiries about Korean furniture in our Facebook group, it seems necessary for us to examine the different types of Korean furniture available on the market. When looking for genuine pieces, one has to be very careful because, unlike some other forms of art, furniture is […]

THE BEAUTY OF PAULOWNIA WOOD

Paulownia tree is called “Odong namu” in Korean 오동나무. Paulownia coreana, grows primarily in East Asia, with the southern region of Gyeonggi Province in Korea, including Seoul, being a notable area for its growth. Throughout history, it has been highly regarded for its exceptional wood quality and has been a preferred material for crafting furniture. […]