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.






Joseon Dynasty, 19th century.


Early 20th century. H. 114,7cm.



Lacquer on pine wood. H. 66,2cm, W. 78,8cm.

Late 19th century.

H. 29,3cm, W. 59cm.

Joseon Dynasty.
Early 20th century.




Late 19th century. H. 174cm. Walnut wood frame & pine large front panels.

Joseon Dynasty. Late 19th century.
H. 39cm, W. 110,5cm, D. 35cm.

H. 164,5cm.

H. 96xm, W. 30cm.



H. 15cm, Diameter: 14,7cm.
HO-AM ART MUSEUM. SEOUL.
Ho-Am Art Museum opened on April 22, 1982 and this private museum was founded as the permanent home of the Korean traditional works of art collected over a period of about three decades by Lee Byung-chull, the founder of the Samsung Group, whose pseudonym was Hoam.
LINK: Ho-Am Museum.



Joseon Dynasty, 19th century.
H 16.2cm, D 19.0cm (mouth), 16.2cm (base).
Used to store rolls of paper, short paper bins could be set atop a document chest or bookcase. This one is made from seven halved stalks of bamboo, which were joined together in the shape of a flower.

Joseon Dynasty, 18th century.
This clothing chest is also known as “Mandarin Duck Chest”since its two sets of harmoniously installed doors resemble couples of mandarin ducks, which are symbols of a loving couple. In general, the compartments with hinged doors were used for valuables and the lower part was for books, clothes or stationary items.



The body of this inkstone table is wood, but the outer layer is bamboo. Symbolizing the noble integrity of the literati, bamboo was a popular material for wood furniture.
Joseon Dynasty, 19th century. H 29.3cm, W 45.8×28.3cm.

Joseon Dynasty, 19th century, H 32.7cm, W 45.7cm.
This tray-table is coated with both red and black lacquer, a style that was reserved exclusively for the Joseon royal court

THE LOCK MUSEUM IN SEOUL – 쇳대박물관

This museum houses a private collection of handmade metal works.
The Lock Museum displays antique locks, keys, and furniture from Korea and other parts of the world. The museum that opened in 2003 features over 4,000 different types of locks.
Locks are practical and functional in protecting gates and the contents of chests and other furniture. The beauty of the design of these antique Korean locks features characteristics of traditional art and are an important part of the cultural heritage of Korea.
Link: Seung Hyo-sang’s Iron Museum









HORIM MUSEUM, SEOUL
Horim Museum is a museum in Seoul, South Korea. The museum was founded by Yun Jang-seob who after setting up the Sungbo Cultural Foundation in July 1981 to purchase antiquities, established the Horim Museum in October 1982 at Daechi-dong, Gangnam-gu by leasing one floor of a building.
Link: Horim Museum.




It is a paper box made of wood and decorated with cut out paper.
The main material used was pine.
The body was joined together by weaving and wooden pegs were driven in.
Noodle-shaped grippers were attached to each corner.
A round padlock without any special decorations was attached to the front.
On the back, there are two hinges shaped like medicinal fruits.
The pattern is heavily decorated with the character “卍”, which means good luck.
The contrast between the red background and the black pattern creates a dignified feeling even though it is small in size.

H. 97,8cm, W. 99cm, D. 48,5cm.

H. 79,5cm, W. 96cm, D. 51cm.


JEJU CRAFT MUSEUM


65,5×30,3×48cm

Early 19th-20th century,
93,4×44,2×75,7cm


Early 19th-20th century, 94×42,5×83cm

19th – early 20th century
86 x 44 x 70 cm

Early 19th-20th century, 96,7×45×66,5cm

19th – early 20th century
120 x 60 x 150 cm






SEOUL MUSEUM OF CRAFT ART.
LINK: SeMoCa


Red and black lacquer on wood. H. 176cm, W. 106cm, D. 51,5cm. Previously in the Royal Palace collection.


Yangsan area, Gyeongsang Do province.
H. 71cm, W. 95,7cm, D. 45,2cm.

H. 73,3cm, W. 96cm, D. 36,9cm.






H. 20cm, W. 33,1cm, D. 17,5cm.

H. 22cm, W. 68,5cm, D. 37,8cm.



19th century.


H. 117cm, W. 63cm, D. 41cm.

Late 19th century – early 20th century.
H. 149,6cm, W. 78,8cm, D. 33,8cm.

H. 163,5cm, W. 83,5cm, D. 52cm.


H. 117,5cm, W. 100cm, D. 47cm.

H. 119,5cm, W. 115,5cm, D. 36,5cm.

H. 116,5cm, W. 77cm, D. 37cm.



This small table is made in Haeju, Hwanghae province.



H. 25,9cm, W. 38,1cm, D. 26cm.





H. 148,5cm, W. 98,2cm, D. 29cm.

19th century. Pakchon area, Pyongan province.
H. 82cm, W. 87cm, D. 40,5cm.



NATIONAL MUSEUM OF KOREA. SEOUL.
Link: National Museum of Korea.





It is presumed to be a work of the late Goryeo Dynasty.
It is in the shape of a rectangular box with each corner of the upper part of the lid trimmed.
The main pattern is a peony pattern, and some have horse leaf patterns, tortoiseshell patterns, and yeonju patterns.

H. 2,7cm, Lid H. 1,8cm, W. 9,8cm, D. 7cm.



This box was acquired in an auction by Sotheby’s New York on September 22, 2022 and returned to Korea from early 2023. It was confirmed that the mother-of-pearl box was wrapped in fabric before painting to prevent the wood from being deformed by moisture.
This is a technique mainly used when making high-end lacquerware. Various shapes of lotuses are decorated with mother-of-pearl. This mother-of-pearl box is presumed to have been made in the 16th century, judging by the fact that it used the hammering method, in which the mother-of-pearl in a curved state was cut out according to the pattern and then hit with a hammer to make it touch the surface.

H. 171,1cm, W. 113cm, D. 56cm.



H. 132,8cm, L. 34cm, W. 36,4cm

Paulownia wood. H. 178,5cm, W. 65,7cm, D. 31,8cm.

Paulownia wood. H. 93cm, W. 69cm, D. 39,8cm. This bookcase consists of an upper shelf whose front is open while its sides and back are closed in; a mid-shelf fitted with two drawers; and a lower shelf with a hinged door to make a cabinet. The legs of the case feature air holes shaped like the wings of a bat. At the center of the door planks is a circular padlock plate engraved with trigram designs. The door planks and the post are connected by swallow-shaped hinges.


H. 72,2cm, W. 99cm, D. 46.cm.


H. 61,5cm, W. 89,2cm, D. 42,7cm.

H. 64cm, W. 90cm, D. 44cm.

Early 20th century. H. 79cm, W. 93,5cm, D. 39cm.

H. 62cm, W. 81cm, D. 42cm.




Mid 19th century. H. 102,8cm, W. 97cm, D. 38,2cm


H. 96cm, W. 100,5cm, D. 45cm.

Japanese Colonial Period,
Pine wood. H. 160cm, W. 71,5cm, D. 44,3cm.

Japanese Colonial Period,
Persimmon wood. H. 121,5cm, W. 129,5cm, D. 35,5cm. This medicine chest has many drawers for containing different kinds of herbal medicines. The panels of the hinged doors at the bottom were made of persimmon wood. Their blackish color contrasts with the dark orange color of the other parts of the chest. An additional leg has been fitted in the middle of the supporting legs, a unique characteristic of furniture made in the late Joseon Period.

Elm & Pine wood. H. 71,5cm, W. 91,2cm, D. 42cm.


H. 106,4cm, W. 28,9cm, D. 28,9cm.

Wood – Bamboo



19th century. Gyeonggi province.

H. 29,7cm, W. 23,4cm, D. 32.5cm.
This beautiful box called “Pit-Chop” in Korean was used in the woman’s quarter to store small accessories such as combs, brushes, and cosmetic powder.
Beautiful woods have been used such as fine-grained zelkova on the front part enhanced by quality yellow brass fittings. Paulownia wood sides and top. This box stands on elegant legs. Origin: Probably Gyeonggi Do Province. Korea.

Late 19th century. H. 20cm, W. 19,6cm, D. 34,9cm.

Traditionally, the patterns of Korean mother-of-pearl lacquerware were objects with specific shapes, and each had its own symbol and meaning.
The same was true for letter patterns and geometric patterns.
However, in the 19th century of the Joseon Dynasty, a unique method of decorating the entire surface with mother-of-pearl appeared without planning a specific pattern. The entire surface of the box with Taegeuk pattern is covered with mother-of-pearl, and the top of the lid and the front of the body are decorated with Taegeuk patterns made of mother-of-pearl and tortoiseshell to give emphasis.

H. 26,1 cm, W. 35cm, D. 22,6 cm.


Original book chests are hard to find nowadays because they were produced in small quantities for an affluent class of the population. Small in size, the front part of this piece of furniture consisted of doors with sometimes a row of drawers on the upper part. The ends of the top panel could be lifted up so that the rolls placed on it would not fall off. They were also shallow (around 35cm) and raised on elegantly decorated legs.
Attached photo of a Korean two-level book chest.
Height 71cm, Width 96,5cm, Width 34.8cm.

H. 27cm, W. 36cm, D. 23cm.

Joseon Dynasty. Iron, silver.
H. 6,7cm, W. 8cm, L. 11,2cm.
This box-shaped case was used to store tobacco leaves during the Joseon Period. It features the Ten Symbols of Longevity (i.e., deer, crane, and more) inlaid in silver. The Chinese character “壽,” which stands for longevity, and “福,” representing blessings, are inscribed in the middle of the lid.

H. 24,3cm, 34,1×21,8cm. Hwagak (華角) refers to a unique type of craftwork made with ox horns that have been cut and flattened into thin, translucent sheets. One side of these sheets would be painted with patterns or images, and then the painted side was attached to a wooden surface as decoration. Since ox horns are usually rather small, dozens of them were required to fully decorate even a small wooden object. Thus, hwagak crafts are known to be very complicated and difficult to produce. However, because of their vibrant, colorful decorative effect, hwagak products were quite popular, especially among women. This box is decorated with an array of plants and animals, including peonies, cranes, tigers, deer, turtles, and carp, as well as images of the Immortal Child (童子), who can be seen riding some of the animals against the bright red backdrop. The theme of the Immortal Child sitting astride an animal comes from Taoism, and was a common trope of hwagak. The top of the lid has a black border, and there is a taegeuk (yin-yang symbol) in each of the four corners. Arch-shaped iron handles are attached to the front and back of the box.


H. 26,5cm, D. 36,4cm.
This small dining table is decorated with carved cloud and scroll designs on its four legs and twelve-sided top. It is supported by a column shaped like four strings twisted together.

Joseon dynasty. H. 18,7cm, L. 28cm, W. 17,9cm.

H. 28,7cm, D. 43cm.












H. 13cm, D. 48,3cm


H. 11,2cm, L. 48,3cm, W. 10,7cm.

H. 13,2cm, L. 6,5cm, W. 20,5cm.



Paulownia wood. H. 133cm. During the Joseon Dynasty, bookcases were essential pieces of furniture for a sarangbang, the special room where the male head of the household would reside, study, and receive male guests. The most prestigious households had separate libraries in which to keep their books, but it was still practical and proper to have a bookcase in the sarangbang for those books that were used most frequently. This particular three-tiered bookcase exudes a simple, austere beauty, exemplifying the design standards of the Joseon era. The doors are made from the wood of the odong tree, which was seared with an iron and then scrubbed with bundles of rice straw. This process, called the nakdong method (烙桐法), removes the soft fibers from the board, leaving only the firm, hard grain of the wood. The technique, which revealed the pristine beauty of the natural wood grain, was primarily used for sarangbang furniture. Although such furniture is obviously manmade, it retains such natural beauty that we can almost feel the breath of the wood. As a central feature of a sarangbang, this type of furniture matches the dignity and nobility of any scholar.

Paulownia wood. Joseon Dynasty.
H. 95cm, L. 10,2cm, W. 28,3cm

H. 12.5cm, W. 20cm.
Hwagak refers to a Korean traditional decorative technique whereby ox-horn was flattened into paper-thin half-transparent plates, after which patterns were drawn inside the plates with mineral dye, and then the plates were attached to items made with wood or bamboo. To make this brush container, ox-horn plates were adjusted to fit the size of the container’s faces, and then attached to them. The front and back of the container feature drawings of a pine tree, a magpie, a tiger, bamboo and a crane, while the two sides exhibit a chrysanthemum, a peach, a pine tree and a crane.

Joseon Dynasty.

This wooden box was used for storing documents. Steel pieces were used to fix the corners of this box. The shapes of the lid hinges and the lock accessory are unique.

H. 28,2cm, W. 43.3cm, D. 27,2cm.


Joseon Dynasty, wood and mother-of-pearl inlay.
19th century.
H. 32,7cm, L. 42,4cm, W. 42cm.




Wood and lacquer.
H. 24,7cm, D. 32cm.
This table is called a gaedari soban or gujokban, literally meaning ‘a dog-legged dining table’ in Korean, as its legs resemble those of a dog. The center of the top is decorated with the Chinese character “bok” (福, good fortune) inlaid with mother-of-pearl. The character is surrounded by auspicious designs, such as cranes and peaches, encircled with a stripe of a saw tooth design.




Dated from the Japanese occupation.
H. 62,5cm, W. 100cm, D. 38cm.

Could also be used as a document chest. Joseon dynasty.
H. 77,2cm, W. 87,3cm, D. 37cm.

Bone, Horn and Shell – Lacquerware inlaid with mother-of-pearl.






H. 10cm, W. 27,5cm, D. 27,5cm

H. 16,1cm, W. 81,8cm, D. 45,1cm.



77,7cm high, 22,4cm wide, 22.0cm wide, 11,2cm long

Mother-of-pearl comb box,
Width 27,1cm, Length 25,6cm, Height 27,1cm.
A comb is a piece of furniture for women, and is a container for storing cosmetic tools such as combs, hair ornaments, and mirrors, and a toebalnang (退髮囊), an oil paper that collects hair that falls out when combing.
It is characterized by having many drawers because of the function of storing small tools separately. This comb consists of three drawers and is painted red as a whole.
The front side of the drawer is decorated with mother-of-pearl using the mother-of-pearl technique, befitting female furniture.
The patterns of mandarin ducks and peonies seen here symbolize conjugal love, fertility, prosperity, and prosperity, and it is clear at a glance that the comb was a prop for women.



H. 13,2cm, L. 24,3cm, D. 24,3cm.

H. 31,9cm, L. 33,7cm, W. 29,6cm.



H. 112,5cm, W. 89cm, D. 42,5cm.

H. 123,3cm, W. 97,3cm, D. 45,8cm.





A box for storing tools necessary for combing or decorating combed hair.
This comb box has long drawers at the top and bottom and two drawers in the middle.
The top of the lid divided into a checkerboard pattern and around the drawers are decorated with bands made of white bull horns driven with bamboo nails.
The side and back sides are also divided using thin white horns, with flower patterns on the top and phoenix, flowers, deer, pine trees, cranes, plum blossoms, and various flowers symbolizing longevity on the bottom.

Although the production process is complex and difficult, it is widely used in women’s products because of its colorful and strong decorative properties.




H. 123,5cm, 63,2cm x 37,3cm.
Called gyoui in Korean, this kind of chair was used to place the mortuary tablet at a ritual of sacrificial offering or a funeral. This black lacquered chair is inscribed with mountains, clouds, and a rising sun on its top rail and has openwork grass and flower designs on its lower part. Each corner of the back support of the chair has been made to look like scrolling vines. Each side and the rear part of the rack where the mortuary tablet used to be placed are adorned with two and three holes resembling elephant eyes.


H. 137,8cm, W. 123cm, D. 28,6cm.


H. 114,5cm, W. 64,3cm, D. 37,3cm. (Photos left & right).








H. 164,5cm, W. 103,5cm, D. 42,8cm.

Paulownia wood. H. 181,7cm, W. 71cm, D. 45,7cm. This wardrobe is equipped with a clothes rack and has a thin body that makes it look higher than it actually is. The bottom space is for hats and other small articles. Made of empress wood, it is marked by a natural esthetic sensibility and simplicity.













H. 33,7cm, W. 63,3cm, D. 34,2cm.









Small box: H. 10,9cm, W. 31,7cm, D. 16,7cm.



H. 20,2cm, W. 27,1cm, D. 37,9cm.





Jeonju. Jeolla Do province.









H. 121,5cm, W. 88cm, D. 39cm.
Also called a Jeongju wardrobe, this chest is from Jeongju city, capital of North Jeolla province


H. 70cm, W. 71cm, D. 37cm.
















NATIONAL PALACE MUSEUM OF KOREA.








H. 130cm, W. 70cm, D. 35cm.



H. 39cm, Diameter: 62,8cm


SOOKMYUNG WOMEN’S UNIVERSITY, SEOUL.


This embroidered chest is said to have been produced for the garye (wedding) of queen Sunwon, who was the wife of Sunjo, the 23rd king of the Joseon dynasty. The ten traditional symbols of longevity were embroidered on the door and on the lower part of the door, lotus flower and mandarin duck designs were embroidered so as to wish for the couple to be happy and bear many children.
Collection: Sookmyung Women’s University Museum, Seoul. Korea.

H. 20cm, W. 27cm, D. 17cm.

H. 33,5cm W. 22cm, D. 32,7cm.

H. 34cm, W. 30cm, D. 29,8cm.

H. 111cm, W. 76,8cm, D. 37cm.

Mother-of-Pearl Comb Case. 19th century. Joseon Dynasty.
The wide drawer at the bottom has pictures of clouds, which symbolize longevity, the sun, the turtle, the duck and the kite, which symbolize the happiness of a husband and wife; these are the kinds of things that women were thought to long for.





H. 12,4cm, W. 33,6cm, D. 17,3cm.

H. 27cm, W. 38,5cm, D. 26,5cm.


















LINKS: Korean Symbols of Wishes
The Past and Present of Korean Embroidery- Sookmyung Women’s University Museum
GYEONGGI PROVINCE MUSEUM.
GyeongGi Provincial Museum has six permanent exhibition spaces and one special exhibition space. Permanent exhibition halls include a hall of GyeongGi-do history, as well as halls for archaeology, art, documentary materials, folk customs, and a hall for donated relics. Each exhibition space describes the history and culture of Korea, including GyeongGi-do, through a variety of artifacts, including porcelain, literature, costumes excavated from ancient tombs, calligraphic paintings, and folk crafts.
Link: Gyeonggi Province Museum.





In the style of Baekgol Soban, the entire soban, made of pine, was painted with vermilion. The top plate has 12 angles, resembling a Hojokban (虎足盤). The top plate is adorned with two phoenixes, their wings outstretched. Surrounding the beacon fire and the frame, it is finished with two twisted copper wires and a Taegeuk pattern crafted from fish skin. On the lower side of the top plate, a floral pattern was placed, along with a Taegeuk pattern made from fish skin and a Bagua pattern. This piece dates back to the late 19th century, with dimensions of H 41,4 cm and a diameter of 65 cm.


The rim was added with ivory and was fixed with 16 bamboo nails.
Dragons, haetae, turtles, and giraffes were prominently decorated on the body, and clouds, flowers, grass, and rocks were arranged around the body.
The lower part was separately made of wood and fixed with 8 bamboo nails.
It is a work that shows bright colors and sophisticated workmanship. 19th century,
H. 13,3cm, Diameter. 13,5cm


The lid is divided into four parts and decorated with a phoenix and a crane facing each other diagonally.
The body is divided into 12 parts and patterns are put in, and the front extension is made of tin feldspar.
The inside is covered with paper, there is a lid, and the angles of the four corners are preserved.


Pine, paulownia and elm wood. H. 162cm, W. 108cm.
The shape of the outer thread under the top plate and the base plate at the bottom of the medicine cabinet, wind hole, foot tube, and foot stand show the characteristics of the Gyeonggi medicine chest.
The aggregate and top plate are made of pine, and paulownia wood is used for the side panels, back plate and inside of drawers.
In the middle of the left and right side panels, two concave irons were placed, and the irons of the rear panels were treated with a straight line.
Overall, it is a two-tier structure, and at the bottom, a door plate was made like a wardrobe, and four drawers were separately placed in it.
In particular, all the handles of the drawers are decorated with abalone shells, which is very luxurious.
Judging from its sophisticated elegance, it is presumed to be for the royal court.

H. 113cm, W. 81 cm. The pillars and aggregate are made of cedar wood, the inside of the drawer is made of zelkova wood, and the side panels and back plate are made of pine.
Two drawers were made under the top plate, and a metal box was placed under the upper and lower door plates.
The handle of the drawer is in the shape of a bat, and the circular hinge is attached with feldspar brass.
The ear ornaments on the front are decorated with the Chinese character 卍 and the herb of immortality on the two ears of the top plate and the middle and lower parts.
Both the front and side of the legs had bat blood.

As a wardrobe that shows the characteristics of Seoul and Gyeonggi-do, it took the style of adding iron wood to the bottom of the door plate.
The side panels are paulownia wood, the pillars are pear wood, the back panel is pine wood, and the fittings are made of brass.
A middle barrier was placed at the bottom of the upper door plate, and four rooms were installed in three places, top, middle, and bottom, and long horizontal timbers were installed.
Bamboo is engraved on the upper door panel, and the phrase ‘回烘春色成和气風弄花香作瑞烟’ is written between them, and on the lower door panel, ‘出連城重’

H. 91cm, W. 48cm. Fine hemp was applied to the pine tree, and black lacquer was applied on it, and daemo, fish skin, mother-of-pearl, etc. were splendidly decorated.
At the lower part of the front and on the side, a scene of two dragons fighting over Yeouiju in a clouded sky is placed, and grass and insect patterns are decorated in a balanced manner in between.
Others decorated grass and insect patterns with mother-of-pearl on top of black lacquer.
Considering its elegance and sophistication, it is presumed to be for the royal court.


H. 34,5cm, Diameter. 68,6cm. It is a noble family class with the shape of a typical royal court table.
The top board was made by attaching two boards in a circle and painted with vivid vermilion paint, and the back side of the board was painted black

H. 26,5cm, W. 75cm, D. 40,3 cm. It is a box decorated with mother-of-pearl and black lacquer in Hongsong.
Mother-of-pearl is decorated on the lid and all four sides except for the bottom





Chair: H. 91cm, Cane: 190cm, Treasure No. 930.
This is a gift bestowed by Hyeonjong to Yeongjungchubusa (領中樞府事) Lee Gyeong-seok (1595-1671).
A large ark of this size follows the precedent in which the king bestowed a chair, staff, or palanquin upon a minister over 70 years of age who wished to resign from the government post.
The ark can be unfolded as needed, and the seat is woven in an X shape by twisting twine.
The godae that leans on the back is a stump, and the surface of the backrest is covered with birch bark.
All of the canes have four points, and the part that touches the ground is decorated with square iron.
In particular, the head of the joduhyeong cane is fitted with a carved duck, and a small sprinkler is attached to the end.
The cane with the sprinkler attached not only functions as a practical farming tool, but also symbolizes a head basketball that is authoritative enough to be bestowed on high-ranking officials.
SEOUL MUSEUM OF HISTORY.


H. 76,4cm, W. 95,8cm, D. 49,2cm. This chest is woven with dowels to give it a solid feel.
The front of the lock is in the shape of a gourd with the character ‘卍 (man)’ pierced through it, and the belly button decoration is also in the shape of ‘卍 (man)’.
Each corner has a burnt ear ornament.

H. 44cm, W. 206cm, D. 106cm. Pyeongsang is a piece of furniture for sitting or lying down.
There is a bed placed in a room for sleeping and a garden floor placed in a yard or yard for people to sit or sit on.
During the Joseon Dynasty, it was widely used in royal palaces and houses of grandparents.

H. 11,7cm, W. 60cm, D. 39cm. Paulownia wood, yellow brass fittings. Because of its small size, it was often used on top of other furniture and was also used for decoration.

H. 78,5cm, W. 86,5cm, D. 42,6cm.

H. 90,5cm, W. 98cm, D. 44cm.


H. 13,8cm, W. 44,6cm, D. 14cm.

Same usage as the previous item.
H. 14 cm, W. 51,8cm, D. 15,1cm

H. 29,9cm, W. 22,5cm, D. 23,6cm.

H. 28,2 cm, W. 49cm, D. 28cm. This mother-of-pearl box is decorated with bamboo, pine, plum, and peach blossoms.
On the back side, the character ‘壽’ is engraved.


H. 189cm, W. 85,7cm, D. 47,4cm.
This bookcase is made of elm and paulownia wood.
With a four-story structure, the storage space can be opened and closed by attaching doors on both sides.


H. 31,1cm, W. 72,2cm, D. 31,9cm.

H. 26,5 cm, W. 59,2cm, D. 28,5cm.
A shelf or drawer was attached under the top plate, and a straight and flat top plate was regarded as high class.
This Seoan has a scroll panel on both sides, with drawers with engraved Yeouidu pattern.

H. 36,1cm, W. 135,3cm, D. 40,3cm.

H. 42cm, W. 88cm, D. 41,5cm.

H. 24cm, W. 50cm, D. 27cm.


H. 166cm, W. 101,6cm, D. 50,2cm.

H. 36,1cm, W. 135,3cm, D. 40,3cm.
Seoan is a small furniture used for reading books.
According to the place and purpose, a short one is used for reading and a long one is used for writing on a scroll.
This Seoan has a simple form without any decorations
There are four drawers, each with a copper plate and a ring attached to it, making it easy to open and close.

H. 30,6cm, W. 67,8cm, D. 29cm.
Mungap is a stationery chest used to store important documents.
Made of paulownia wood, its legs are rolled inward.

H. 32,7cm, W. 206cm, D. 29,8cm. Moongap is a low cabinet used to store various for stationery and documents. Bamboo with paulownia wood.

H. 35,7cm. W. 84,4cm, D. 30,8cm.
Mungap is an abbreviation for stationery.
This small chest has 8 inner drawers in three stages, and the positions are indicated by writing ‘left’, ‘middle’, and ‘right’ in ink on the inner bottom of the drawer, and there is no drawer in the center. .
The door is made of three plates and has a round metal lock in the center.


H. 26cm, W. 45cm, D. 24,2cm.

H. 69.6cm, W. 13,3cm, D. 6,7cm.


Diameter 27cm.

H. 143,5cm, W. 113,5cm, D. 31,3cm. Pine wood.

The structure of the furniture is the same as that of Bandaji, but because the door has to be opened upward, it is shorter and the decoration is simpler than that of Bandaji. H. 50,3cm, W. 109,4cm. Total H. 99,5cm.

H. 131,3cm, W. 108,2cm, D. 53cm.

This wardrobe is a two-story cabinet that can be separated from the top floor and the bottom floor to store clothes.
Silk was attached to the inside of the closet.
On the upper floor, a door is attached to the front to create a space for hanging clothes, and there are five living rooms above and below it.
Gorgeous peonies and leaves were pierced at the door.
There is also a storage space for clothes downstairs, and there is a door with a peony flower pierced [透刻].

H. 42,5 cm, W. 69,3cm, D. 30,5cm.
This small chest was used to store important documents in noble’s houses in the late Joseon dynasty.

H. 93,9 cm, W. 83,3cm, D. 49,3cm.
It has a door in the center and drawers for storing small items at the top. Zelkova and pine wood.
The hinged door has a fish-shaped lock on the circular front.
There are four swallow-shaped hinges, and the characters 福 (fortune) and 壽 (su) are engraved on them.
There are flower-shaped ear ornaments on the left and right sides of the door.
The legs have a bar between them and are shaped like “dog legs”(狗足).

H. 85,9cm, W. 107,2cm, D. 35,3cm.
This bookshelf was made of paulownia wood to prevent diseases and pests, making it strong enough to hold heavy books.
This bookshelf has a roll top plate attached to the top plate, and the upper and lower floors are connected by hinged hinges.
In the middle of the stay, Yeouidoumun (如意頭文) is engrave.

H. 36,1 cm, W. 89,6cm, D. 36,8cm.
The chest has been used as a multi-purpose piece of furniture to store grain, ceremonies, books, cloths, and other items.
This bookcase has a space for storing books under the drawer on the second floor.

Depending on the location and purpose, the shorter one is used for reading, and a longer one is used when writing on a scroll.
H. 40,3cm, W. 135,3cm, D. 36,1cm.
NATIONAL FOLK MUSEUM OF KOREA.

Excellent collection of scholar chests such as Mungap or stationary small chests and small desks.






H. 84cm, W. 100cm, D. 37cm.


4 drawers and 2 storage spaces.
The surface is lacquered. H. 35cm, W. 97,5cm, D. 29cm.

The surface is painted except for the inside of the drawer and the part where the drawer fits.


There is a drawer with a bat-shaped handle in the center of each side, and there are small drawers above and below it.
There is a door in the center that can be opened and closed with a padlock.
Although persimmon wood was used throughout, the top and back are made of paulownia wood. Legs are recent.

Colored paper is pasted inside. The Taegeuk pattern is engraved on the front of the leg




















H. 102cm, W. 112cm, D. 54cm.





(Photos left & right)















































H. 83,5cm, W. 94cm, D. 42cm.











H. 128cm, W. 150,5cm, D. 38,5cm. (4 photos).












H. 145cm, W. 107cm, D. 42cm.




H. 72.5cm, W. 130,4cm, D. 59cm.


It is a square frame structure with low railings on three sides and two flat platforms facing each other without railings. The floor consists of wooden strips, with railings and low legs adorned with openwork modified Ajamun (亞字文). Each corner is reinforced with a brace, and the entire piece is painted black. The front features mother-of-pearl patterns including birds, peonies, butterflies, and leaves, while the sides are adorned with floral patterns. The legs display mother-of-pearl decorations, with a double bird pattern and thunder pattern on the front, and a grass pattern and thunder pattern on the sides. Engravings adorn the back of the legs.





H.10cm, W. 25,3cm, D. 14,9cm.

H. 5,2cm, W. 25,8cm, D. 18,3cm.

H. 6,2cm, W. 22,8cm, D. 34,9cm.

H. 5,2cm, W. 25,8cm, D. 18,3cm.

H. 7,4cm, W. 35,3cm, D. 24cm.




H. 12,6cm, W. 34cm, D. 17,3cm.

H. 77cm, W. 96cm, D. 43,5cm.





H. 30,7cm, W. 49,2cm, D. 29,7cm.

(Photos left & right)

















H. 125cm, W. 86cm, D. 40cm.









H. 136cm, W. 86cm, D. 44,4cm.













Fine woods on this bookchest from Jeolla Do province.
Pine, zelkova wood and burl, persimmon. Iron fittings.
H. 101,5cm, W. 111cm, D. 48,5cm.
Late 19th century.








H. 42,5cm, W. 77,5cm, D. 41cm.







H. 96cm, W. 83cm, D. 37cm

H. 89cm, W. 96cm, D. 41cm.










Yellow brass fittings.


H. 37cm, W. 52cm, D. 30cm.

H. 24cm, W. 53,8cm, D. 26,5cm.














PAST EXHIBITION AT THE BONA JEWELRY MUSEUM.
192-10, Gwanhun-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea.



Bobbin Inlaid with Lacquer and Mother of Pearl. Bobbin Inlaid refers to the wooden side where the thread is wound for convenient and clean use.
The shapes of these failures are rectangular, cylindrical, and cross-shaped, and are decorated with flowers, trees, and house patterns.
The upper classes of Joseon used bobbins made of mother-of-pearl lacquerware or mother-of-pearl.
(螺鈿絲牌/Late Joseon Dynasty)




A box for storing hairdressing tools such as combs and combs
. The front of the box has two layers of drawers, with one drawer at the top and two drawers at the bottom.
In the center of the lid, a circular ‘Su(壽)’ character was placed, and bats were decorated around it.
A lotus flower and two pairs of ducks are concisely expressed on the lower part of the front side, and the middle part is divided into four circles, and the inside is decorated with the designation of the character ‘fortune’.
Both sides of the panel are simply decorated with plum blossoms.
(螺鈿梳函/Late Joseon Dynasty)

It is a classic style with a flat top lid that opens about 2/3 of the height compared to the size of the Red Lacquered Document
Box . This flat type document box is suitable for carrying documents as it is convenient to put it in a pocket and hang it over the saddle or carry it next to it, and it is also easy to store under the doorstep or other places.
The large, semi-circular noodle-shaped geomeol-catcher jangseok that holds the bottom plate and top plate together gives solidity and reliability.
There are ear-covered feldspars on the four corners of the lid and thin and long garnish feldspars on the four corners.
The built-in lock on the front is not a safety device, but rather a decoration that prevents the lid from opening, and is mainly used for small boxes.
(Zhu 漆書類函/Late Joseon Dynasty)


(螺鈿退枕/Late Joseon Dynasty)


the ship was decorated with mother-of-pearl elaborately and densely so that the background of the box could not be seen.
A striking technique in which the mother-of-pearl is bent with a hammer so that it touches the surface of the box is used, and it is a representative work of mother-of-pearl warships in the 19th century (螺鈿函/late Joseon Dynasty)

arabesque door fills the front of the box.
The inside of the lid is also decorated with mother-of-pearl in the same pattern.
The peony pattern is expressed in three types: a fully open figure, a bud with calyx, and a small bud.
It seems to have been used by the upper class during the Joseon Dynasty to store combs and clothing items.
(螺鈿牡丹唐草文箱子/17th century)

Box Inlaid with Mother of Pearl
A sewing box is an item that stores sewing tools such as bobbins, thimbles, needle pouches, and rulers, or contains sewing materials.
The outer part of the sewing kit is decorated with the character of Bokbok (壽福字) and lightning patterns, and the inner bottom is decorated with a dragon pattern.
In contrast to the designs of common sewing kits, carp symbolizing success in life, fish and flowers symbolizing fertility, this sewing kit has a dragon pattern as its central composition, and it is believed to have been used by a very high class.
(螺鈿龍文縫函/Late Joseon Dynasty)



The patterns of deer, pine trees, mushrooms, and turtles are applied to each side of the lacquered box
. The seam of each side is decorated with mandu-type geomeol-jab stones at regular intervals, giving a sense of balance and reliability.
The four corners are decorated with straw ear wraps with butterfly fire, and bow derailers with chrysanthemum bows are attached to the left and right sides of the box.
A chrysanthemum gwangdujeong was applied to the lower part of the derailleur, and a yakgwa-type lock was used.
*Purple lacquer (朱漆) Ju lacquer is a painting method that produces a red color by mixing a kind of paint called 朱 with paint materials in the painting process of traditional crafts.
It was used for cabinets, chests, seals, and chests for court use, and was forbidden in private houses.
Occasionally, it was used for household items of noble families.
(螺鈿朱漆長生文函/Late Joseon Dynasty)
MUSEUMS IN GYEONGGI DO PROVINCE.
UNIVERSITIES MUSEUMS.

Collection: Seoul National University Museum.

Collection: Seoul National University Museum.

Collection: Seoul National University Museum.

Collection: Seoul National University Museum.

Collection: Seoul National University Museum.



Collection: Dongguk University.







HEOJUN MUSEUM. 87 Heojun-ro, Gangseo-gu, Seoul.






BUPYEONG HISTORY MUSEUM. 151 Gulpo-ro, Bupyeong-gu, Incheon.

Table: H. 55,7cm, W. 48cm, D. 37,7cm.
























EUNPYEONG HISTORY HANOK MUSEUM. 8 Yeonseo-ro 50-gil, Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul,




H. 55cm, W. 105cm, D. 55cm.

H. 26,8cm, W. 21,8cm, D. 33cm.


H. 25cm, W 45cm, D. 25cm.








HWASEONG CITY HISTORY MUSEUM. 화성시 역사박물관. 96 Haengjeongdong-ro, Hyangnam-eup, Hwaseong-si,




