The Labyrinth: Hwang Byung-Ki Gayageum Masterpiece Vol. 3

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This album features original pieces composed and performed in 1960's and 1970's. They were considered as one of the most progressive Korean contemporary music. Especially "The Labyrinth" performed with Hong Sin-Cha, an internationally acclaimed, avant-garde artist and choreographer, made a great impact on Korean music world.

Poongjuk - Korean Tea Ceremony Music

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This album features original solo pieces composed for tea ceremony played with various Korean traditional musical instruments such as Daegeum (large bamboo transverse flute), Danso (notched vertical bamboo flute), Tungso (notched end-blown vertical bamboo flue), Piri (Bamboo Oboe) and Sogeum (small bamboo transverse flute).

Dance - Trio and Quartet for Gayageum, Haegeum and Piri

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This album features original trio and quartet pieces composed by Park Bum-Hoon for representative Korean traditional musical instruments such as Gayageum (Korean traditional zither), Haegeum (Korean traditional two-stringed vertical fiddle) and Piri (Korean Bamboo Oboe).

Yeo-Chang Gagok by Yi Jun-Ah

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This album leads to the wonderful world of Gagok, a traditional Korean vocal music. Gagok is a representative vocal genre appreciated by the scholars of the Joseon period (1392-1910). It uses Sijo, traditional Korean poetry with fixed forms, for its texts. Accompaniments and interludes are played by a small ensemble of traditional Korean musical instruments. Performed since around 16th century, Gagok has been passed on until today, undergoing many changes and generating variations.

Gagok has two kinds of modes, the Gyemyeon mode (Gyemyeonjo) and the U mode (Ujo). The former and latter are each compared to the major and minor scale respectively. In addition to the two modes, Ban-U-Ban-Gye, which begins in the U mode but modulates to the Gyemyeon mode, is used. Also, there are 26 pieces for men and 15 for women.

The texts of the male songs (Nam-Chang) are generally masculine and animated. Also, unlike the female songs, male songs are sung only in natural voice and not in falsetto. The texts of the female songs (Yeo-Chang) are usually feminine and sad. Unlike male songs, the female songs use both natural voice and falsetto.

Daegeum (Korean Bamboo Flute) Sanjo

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This album presents the masterful performance of Daegeum, a Korean traditional large bamboo transverse wind instrument which has a buzzing membrane that gives it a special timbre, by the master Lee Saeng-Kang. Daegeum dates back to 7th century Shilla dynasty. It is one of three transverse flutes, the large Daegeum, the medium-sized Junggeum, and the small Sogeum.



Daegeum has one blowing hole, six finger holes, and an extra hole covered with a thin membrane called Cheong (located between the blowing hole and finger holes). Cheong is a white resonant membrane cut from a reed's inner film which makes this instrument produce a distinctive buzzing sound that is refined and calm. There are two different types of Daegeum: Jeong-ak Daegeum (for classical and court music) and Sanjo Daegeum (for folk music). Of all Korean wind instruments, the Daegeum produces the softest and most graceful tone.

On the Road - 50th Anniversary of Kim Duk-Soo's Debut

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This album is the musical recording celebrating Kim Duk-Soo's 50th anniversary as a musical performer. It presents an illustration of the footprints on his musical journey with the younger generation and his students; Red Sun band; and the hip-hop group Square of his loving son, Yong-hoon. They sang of impassioned hope, Kim Duk-Soo's past, and their future on the road.

Improvisation by Baek In-Young

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This album presents the improvisation based on traditional Korean musical aesthetics and the unique naturalism in music arising from natural Korean instruments. It also provides the audience with a chance to feel the very pulse of improvisation flowing in the veins of Korean traditional music.

Seoul Goot - Korean Shaman Ritual Performance

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This unique album presents Kim Hye-Ran's magnificent Goot performance. Goot is a Korean shamanistic ritual done since ancient times to wish for a town's peace and a family's well-being. It's a symbol of Korean culture and shamanistic tradition. Goot mainly consists of music and dance. The main element of Goot is the female shaman, who sings and dances with food offerings. She asks ghosts to control the turbulence of life. Goot has a number of types and differs by region. The Goot in this album is the one of Seoul, which developed as a national Goot held in the royal court.

Pansori Sugung-ga Part I by Nam Hae-Sung

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This album leads to the wonderful world of Pansori, a traditional Korean art form combining storytelling and music, through the magnificent performance of a master Pansori singer Nam Hae-Sung. She particularly presents Sugung-ga (the song of the underwater palace), one of five extant Pansoris.

Sugung-ga is based on the story of the Dragon King of the Southern Sea, a turtle, and a wily rabbit. The king is suffering from an ailment that can be cured only with the liver of a rabbit. The King thereupon summons all the ministers to look for the liver of a rabbit on the ground. The turtle volunteers his service to journey to a forest and return with a rabbit. In Sugung-ga animals satirize beings, thus showing the world as it really is. From the expression of the various aspects of human nature through the music, the listener is able to hear the composer's consciousness and appreciate the perfection of his work.

The story is set in three different places: from the underwater palace to land, to the palace again and then back to land. The most beautiful music occurs in the third scene change where the hero, a rabbit, deceives the Dragon King and escapes. This part begins with the rabbit yelling, "Open my stomach?" (to remove his liver, which was thought to have medical qualities) to his cursing the turtle after arriving back on land. This part, in which the rabbit calls the turtle names, is made up of the unique musical idioms of Kyeongdurum, which is also called Kyeong-jo, refers to the supposed singing style of Seoul.

Gayageum (twelve-stringed Korean zither) Sanjo – Sung Gum-yeon Style

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Sanjo, literally meaning scattered melody, is a genre of traditional Korean folk music, involving an instrumental solo accompanied by drumming on the Janggu, an hourglass-shaped drum. Sanjo was established by the famous Gayageum player Kim Chang-jo at the end of the 19th century. He gained great renown and had tremendous influence on future generations. Many masters of Gayageum Sanjo followed Kim Changjo and Sanjo was also developed for other instruments such as Geomungo and Daeguem. Then all the important Korean melodic instruments have developed this genre. Sanjo became the most important genre of solo instrumental performance today.

Because Sanjo was not written down and had to be learned entirely by heart, many great players not only performed the melodies they learned from their teachers, but added new ones to those they inherited, to suit their own taste and mood, thus creating their own unique Sanjo. Although there were many Gayageum Sanjos that came about in this way, only about a dozen are extant.

Sung Gum-yeon style is outstanding of these. Its melodies are in themselves musical gems. They are at once radiant and beautiful, ad but sweet, fanciful but natural, soft but lively, sumptuous but refined melodies that embody the Korean ideal of feminine beauty. When Gayageum players hear this Sanjo, they compare it to the reflection of a splendid flower in a clear, cool mountain stream. If Sanjo is the flower of Korean music, Sung Gum-yeon Sanjo is the flower among flowers.

A Feeling of Love by Piri Performer Kim Kyung-A

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This album includes original pieces of music presenting the unique tune of Piri (Korean Bamboo Oboe) through the authentic performance by Kim Kyung-A. Each piece features the wonderful harmony between Piri's distinctive tone and the melodious background music of western instruments. The 5th and 9th piece presents the exotic sound of Taepyeongso.

Piri is a Korean double reed bamboo oboe with eight finger holes, one in back for the thumb and seven in front, used in both the folk and classical court music. Its large reed and cylindrical bore gives it a sound mellower than that of many other types of oboe.

Taepyeongso, literally "great peace flute," is a conical wooden oboe with eight finger holes, a metal mouthpiece, and a cup-shaped metal bell. It produces a loud and piercing sound and is used for farmers' band music, traditional military band music and some folk music.

Shin Kwe-Dong Style Geomungo Sanjo by Kim Young-Jae

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This album presents the masterful performance of Geomungo, a six-stringed Korean bass zither plucked with a short bamboo rod which is held in the right hand, and producing majestic deep sounds, by the master Kim Young-Jae.

It is widely believed that Geomungo Sanjo was originated by Baek Nak-Jun at the end of Joseon dynasty (1392-1910). Sanjo is a genre of traditional Korean folk music, involving an instrumental solo accompanied by drumming on the Janggu, an hourglass-shaped drum. The moment his Geomungo Sanjo had been known to the public, it was envied by many critics but soon its hiking popularity outshined them. It's due to Back Nak-Jun's brilliant musical creativity and Geomungo's great performing potentiality.

Though Geomungo has its remarkable superiority, it is very difficult to learn and play, and the more so to master the quintessence of Geomungo Sanjo. Kim Young-Jae was taught by Shin Kwe-Dong, who was one of three disciples of Baek Nak-Jun, to inherit Geomungo Sanjo for his lifetime and now has gained his position as a virtuoso. Kim Young-Jae inherits the orthodox of Shin Kwe-Dong and of Baek Nak-Jun in nature.

The characteristics of Shin Kwe-Dong style Geomungo Sanjo are that it generally comprises of daring, bold rhythm and beat. It presents Nonghyeon (various vibrations and hand movements exerted on the string) having the rhythm of intensity and the beats of affability, the graceful use of plectrum, evenly scaled resonance, and the solidly arranged structure throughout the whole Sanjo scale.

Samulnori - Percussion Quartet Band Music

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Samulnori ("samul" means "four things" and "nori" means "to play") is a percussion quartet comprised of a buk (barrel drum), a janggu (hourglass-shaped drum), a jing (gong), and a kkwaenggwari (small gong). Its rhythmic patterns are derived from pungmulgut (folk and religious music) or nongak (farmers' band music) which are performed outdoors with acrobatic and dance movements. Samulnori was created by extracting dynamical and elaborated rhythmic patterns from pungmulgut for indoor performance in 1978. The principle of samulnori is the alternation of tension and relaxation. While improvising rhythms based on several rhythmic patterns, the performers seek to achieve a perfect integration of the four percussion instruments.

Samulnori has performed all over the world and has collaborated with many highly acclaimed musicians from around the world from a variety of styles of music ranging from jazz to pop.

Samulnori play the harmony of cosmos linking up nature and human being in accordance with the rule of Yin and Yang's change. Each instrument is associated with an element in nature.

Kkwaenggwari (small gong) is made mainly of brass with trace of gold or silver. It is hand held and played with a bamboo mallet. One hand holds the mallet while the other hand is responsible for dampening the sound produced. The player of this instrument often plays the role of leader, signaling transitions in the music. As each instrument is associated with an element in nature, the kkwaenggwari is related to lightening.

The Jing is a large gong that is struck with a padded stick. This instrument can be played in a number of ways: hung on a frame, hand-held by handle, or played with two hands. Jing should make an osculating sound, imitating the shape of the valleys of Korea. Thus, Jing is associated with the wind.

The Janggu is often called the hourglass drum, referring to its shape. The drum has two sides, each with a different type of leather skin. One side produces a high pitched sound. This instrument is associated with rain.

The Buk is a barrel drum, made of a piece of hollow out wood and two leather skins tied to the wood. It is played by a single stick and provides the bass sounds of the group. The buk is related to the cloud.

Seon (Zen) - Buddhist Meditation Music of Korea

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This is a truly unique album introducing Korean Buddhist music. This recording presents the beautiful harmony of Kim Young-Dong's performance and Buddhist ceremony of monastery members of SongGwang-Sa, one of the three greatest Buddhist temples of Korea, which has been known to have inherited Buddhist meditation training tradition in Korea.

“Pure White” Moon Jar

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This voluminous white porcelain jar exhibits a benevolent and gracious generosity, like a full moon spreading its brilliance over a gentle hill, embracing all those bathed in its light. With its perfect global form, unique only to Korea and the Joseon Dynasty, this type of “moon jar” is often considered to be the quintessence of Joseon ceramics.

One of the greatest masterpieces by Master Potter Kim Jeong-ok, this pure white porcelain jar fascinates collectors as its color subtly changes in hue and shade when looked upon from different angles and in different lights. A river of delicately changing white color flows gently through the middle of this jar, like the Milky Way streaming through the night sky.

Lacquered Comb Box Inlaid with Mother of Pearl Longevity and Good Fortune Design

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Presented under the title of “A Union of Hemp Cloth, Mother of Pearl and Lacquer,” this traditional Najeon Chilgi comb box is the latest masterpiece by Song Bang-ung, Master Craftsman of Mother-of-Pearl Inlaying. Here the artist used a range of original techniques in which hemp cloth is laid upon the “skeleton” of the box before repeated applying of natural lacquer, until the fine mesh of the fabric is beautifully displayed on the surfaces.

The inlaid mother of pearl designs edged with fine copper braids, following the Goryeo Dynasty’s unique “copper braids inlaying technique,” create this exquisite comb box’s elegant beauty through the wonderful harmony of colors of copper and mother of pearl.

Wood Amitabha Buddha Triad in Portable Shrine

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This little Buddhist shrine, which when folded up is cylindrical in shape, is a reproduction of a portable shrine carried by a traveling Buddhist monk or nun long ago. Amitabha Budda, in the central part of the shrine, is assisted by two bodhisattvas, Munsu (or Manjusri Bodhisattva) who represents Great Wisdom, and Bohyeon (or Samantabhadra Bodhisattva) who represents Universal Virtue.

This shrine is made of torreya wood and is finished by applying fragrant jeondanhyang oil, which protects the shrine from harmful insects and decay. Also known to have been the material used for the carving of the first Buddha image in ancient India, jeondanhyang wood is more expensive than gold.

Widely regarded as one of the masterpieces by Park Chan-soo, this exquisite piece is the result of three years of arduousness, in which the artist depended on only traditional carving tools. This work of art shows the zenith of elaborateness sculpted by human hands.

Bed Side Chest with Double Joy Ornaments

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The beauty of Korean traditional wooden furniture lies in the grain of the wood from which it is made. For Korean Master Carpenter specialized in making this type of furnishings, no artificial beauty can exceed the loveliness of what is natural. They prefer highlighting the material’s natural patterns and forms, rather than adding artificial ornaments or colors. They shun metal nails because these ‘alien’ objects can damage the wood's beauty borne from the landscape, and instead, fit the parts of the work together by making grooves and holes. The result of such meticulous methods is a fine piece of furniture, in which the dynamic, elegant lines and forms of nature are kept intact. Korean traditional furniture possesses its creator’s revered love of nature, interwoven with its exquisitely refined grace.

This fine bedside chest is made of five different types of wood fitted together using traditional techniques to create a solid structure with a fine design: Paulownia for the sides, Tree-of-Heaven for the top, Zelkova for the rest of the chest, and Black Persimmon and Ginko for the edges between rectangular figures at the front. The Paulownia sides are 'ironed' to make the natural grain more beautiful, a unique technique of Korean traditional furnishing.

The arrangement of colors and geographic patterns made of five different types of wood creates wonderful harmony with the metal butterfly ornaments, exemplifying the essence of traditional Korean furniture's beauty.

Celadon Prunus Vase Inlaid with Clouds, Cranes, and Lightning Patterns

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Korean Celadon porcelain is renowned the world over for its exquisite inlaid designs, voluminous form, elegantly-curved lines and mysterious color, the color of the sky after a rainstorm during an autumn afternoon.

This full-bodied prunus vase possessing an elegant form and the mysterious color of celadon is inlaid with white clouds and lightning patterns, as well as black and white cranes. The floating cloud and freely flying crane designs representing eternity, combined with the color of autumn sky, gives the viewer the sensation of looking at a piece of heaven.

Triple-Jewel Maedeup (Korean Macrame Art) Pendant with Heavenly Amber Beads

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Norigae, or pendant trinket with a maedeup ornament, is a customary fashion item worn on the breast tie or the waist of hanbok, the traditional Korean dress. Usually Korean people preferred a pendant with an odd number of maedeup tassels, usually one and three. Three is particularly favored because it is regarded as a sacred number.

Luxuriously ornamented with three rows of triple amber beads symbolizing the 3000 heavens of Buddhism and three pairs of decorative knots of wang (a Chinese character meaning ‘king’) on the tassel heads, this type of pendant was once only worn by a queen.

Bamboo Blind with Red Threads featuring “Double Joy” and Tortoise Design

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This exquisite traditional Korean bamboo blind is made with fine bamboo strips less than 1mm thick, often called ‘bamboo threads,’ which require extraordinary skill to produce. A normal-size blind entails a number of amazing figures: 2,500 bamboo strips; corresponding to approximately 100 bamboo canes; more than 300,000 hand movements; and about three or four months in order to complete one single blind.

The Chinese character, “Hui,” meaning “Double Joy,” surrounded by a tortoise motif is exquisitely woven with red threads into the blind. The fine bamboo strips and delicate thread weaving are unique features of Korean bamboo blinds.

By using this Korean bamboo screen, a material so magnificently woven that it is often described as bamboo silk, one can delight in the incredibly unique and serene ambiance of the dim outside view seen through the blind, the cool shade inside the house provided by the blind and the beautiful rhythmic movements of the tassel pendants that gently move in the breeze.

Three-tiered Cabinet Inlaid with Ox-horn Design

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This marvelous three-tired cabinet is created by ox-horn inlaying techniques solely developed in Korea. The paper-thin ox-horn pieces, brilliantly painted on the reverse side with diverse auspicious animals and plants discernible through to the foreground, were inlayed onto the surface of this cabinet to create a vivid three-dimensional effect.

White Jade Dragon and Haetae Incense Burner

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This magnificent jade incense burner is carved with many chains and heads of dragons and Haetae, each holding a magic pearl that can roll around within its mouth when the wind blows, from a single jade block, amazingly without gluing. Each part of the piece is so finely carved with the minutest of detail that one can hardly believe it was fashioned from one stone slab.

Octagonal Bronze Kettle Inlaid with Gold and Silver Phoenix and Arabesque Design

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This exquisite octagonal bronze kettle inlaid with gold and silver phoenix and arabesque design displays the fine workmanship of the silver-inlaying technique. The gold and silver wires are delicately inlaid into incised lines on this metalwork’s surface to create elegant images of phoenix, arabesque and Chinese characters meaning long life and good fortune.

Wancho Jar and Lid with Geometric Pattern

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This delightful jar and lid by Yi Sang-jae, Master Craftsman of Wancho Weaving, is made of strips from the unique plant called Wancho, an annual reed found in rice paddies and other marshlands in some parts of Korea. Wancho is characterized by its sleek texture, milky-white color and soft but durable body, which has made it an excellent material for craft weaving for more than 1000 years. The delicate geometric design is so finely woven that it seems unbelievable that it was made by human hands.

Octagonal Nakjuk (Bamboo Pyrography) Brush Holder with Landscape Designs

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The landscapes drawn in the nakjuk technique by Kim Gi-chan, Master Craftsman of Nakjuk (Bamboo Pyrography), on the brush holder’s eight faces display masterful skills and great artistry. The setting of mountains and rivers where people stroll in perfect harmony with the trees and birds fascinate viewers and seem to depict a serene utopian world where Taoist saints reside.

Hemp Cloth Chaesang (Colorful Korean Bamboo Box)

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This unique bamboo box called Chaesang, literally meaning "colorful box," by Seo Han-gyu, Master Craftsman of Chaesang, is woven with paper-thin but iron-strong bamboo strips cut from three-year-old bamboo trees in winter. The tranquility and harmony of colors and textures within the dynamic movements of the several hundred bamboo strips used to create this container are so complete, that it displays breathtaking artistry.

Seven-tier Arcs Hwangchil (Korean Yellow Lacquer) Folding Fan

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This magnificent paper bamboo fan by Yi Gi-dong, Master Craftsman of Fans, made of the best-quality Korean mulberry paper coated with hwangchil (‘yellow lacquer’) expresses the elegant beauty of the golden color. The intricate pyrography bat design engraved on the bamboo ribs create a wonderful harmony with the beautiful lines made by the wide breadth of the unfolded fan’s outline and the attractive three-dimensional creases of the paper arranged neatly.

Korean mulberry paper called hanji is extremely light and strong, and maintains its original color and shape even after a millennium. Featuring glossiness, softness, and a high capacity for upholding warmth and ventilation, the paper has been considered as the ideal material for windows, doors and walls.

Another element to add attraction and beauty to a Korean fan is the use of hwangchil ('yellow lacquer'), a natural lacquer taken from a Korean native lacquer tree. This golden translucent pigment creates mysteriously elegant colors. Not only its attractive rare golden hue, but also the sweet natural fragrance emanating from it adds delightful joy to the users of Korean fan.

24-tier Circular Yundo (Korean Compass)

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The main material of this extraordinary compass by Kim Jong-dae, Master Craftsman of Yundo, is solid Jujube wood more than 200 years old that does not contain any knots. It includes the four cardinal directions, eight trigrams in ‘I Ching’ that describe fortunes, the 10 Heavenly Stems, the 12 Earthly Branches symbolizing 12 warrior deities in Taoism who protect the Earth, and 24 solar terms.

Each of the characters carefully inscribed onto the front surface of this wooden compass carries, in addition to profound meaning, unique personality interwoven with mysterious energy. As well, the arrangement of characters laid out in perfect order displays wonderful geometrical beauty.

Bronze Dish with Long-life Emblem Design

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This splendid bronze dish by Yi Bong-ju, Master Craftsman of Bronzeware, was created by several thousand beats of a hammer. After the alloy of copper and tin passes through the door of secrets through the long process of forging, the result is an exhibition of beauty that manifests the glorious brilliance of gold.

The bronze items made in this fashion are only known to exist in Korea, where the art was used for creating the highest-quality kitchen utensils for the royal households and aristocratic families.

A piece of Korean bronze ware like this one demonstrates the remarkable feature of changing color if it touches poisonous substances, such as chemicals, in food; thus, it keeps food fresh for a long period of time and even kills harmful bacteria that cause food poisoning. The amazing capacity of this utensil has even been proved by a recent scientific test.

Lacquered Hemp Cloth Wood Jewelry Box with Mother of Pearl Peony

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Unlike other lacquered wood jewelry box, this one was created by traditional technique in which hemp cloth is laid upon the wood frame of the box called "skeleton" before repeated applying of natural lacquer. After lacquering, delicately designed mother of pearl pieces are individually inlaid by the artist. The specially handcrafted yin yang design knob made of cupro-nickel adds beautiful panache to this unique jewelry box. The elaborate adornment with the iridescence of intricate mother of pearl designs makes it an impressive item for collection.

The two story structure inside of the box offers a pleasant way for storing valuable personal ornaments. The fully open peony blossom is traditionally a symbol of wealth and nobility.

Mother of Pearl Tie Clip and Cufflinks Set with Phoenix Design

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Traditional phoenix design expressed with mother of pearl creates wonderful harmony with modern beauty from metal on this stylish tie clip and cufflinks, adding refinement to men's formalwear. The phoenix (bonghwang), along with the dragon, is the symbol of an emperor and is believed to herald a time of peace and prosperity.

Unlike other machine-cut printed mother of pearl designs, the mother of pearl designs on this unique tie clip and cufflinks, which are delicately jigsaw-cut by hands, are individually inlaid by our skilled artisan as shown in the large pictures.

Business Card Case Inlaid with Mother of Pearl Dragon Design

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This unique business card case is ornamented with an intricate mother of pearl dragon design. The dragon is an imaginary animal believed to rule the sky and the sea, controlling rain, clouds, lightening and water. Also used as a symbol of kingship, the dragon is revered in many Asian countries as a sacred animal that brings fortune and expels evil forces.

Credit Card Case Inlaid with Mother of Pearl Phoenix and Yin Yang

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Unlike other machine-cut printed mother of pearl designs, the mother of pearl designs on this unique business card case, which are delicately jigsaw-cut by hands, are individually inlaid by our skilled artisan as shown in the large pictures. The arrangement of iridescent design's luster and color made of two different types of mother of pearl creates wonderful harmony with the black background, making it a remarkably attractive piece.

A pair of phoenixes (bonghwang) with fully-opened wings and tail face each other embracing traditional Yin Yang symbol. The phoenix (bonghwang), along with the dragon, is the symbol of an emperor and is believed to herald a time of peace and prosperity.

We can print your company logo and name inside the case. It would be a wonderful gift of great sophistication, cherished significance, and kind-heartedness.

Compact Mirror Inlaid with Mother of Pearl Butterfly

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The butterfly, a symbol of free love and happiness that has been used to decorate ladies' fashion or home accessories, is redesigned for this stylish compact mirror which has two mirrors - a regular and a magnifying (the small size mirror doesn't have a magnifying mirror). The elaborate adornment with the iridescence of mother of pearl designs makes it an impressive item for collection.

Lacquered Wood Jewelry Box with Mother of Pearl Phoenix and Flying Horse

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This exquisite jewelry box is elegantly decorated with a mother of pearl design of phoenixes and flying horses. The harmony between the natural wooden surface, which is lacquered repeatedly by traditional technique inherited from Goryeo dynasty (918-1392), and the iridescence of the mother of pearl design makes it an impressive item for any collection.

This jewelry box features the unique structure of a drawer below and a lid above, as well as four slide boxes under the lid. It offers a pleasant way for storing valuable personal ornaments such as jewelry.

The houseware coated with natural lacquer has long been used in East Asia for its glossy beauty as well as its practicality for being strong, watertight, antibacterial and purifying air in the room.

Red Lacquered Mother of Pearl Hemp Cloth Wood Jewelry Box of Drawers

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Unlike other lacquered wood jewelry box, this one was created by traditional technique in which hemp cloth is laid upon the wood frame of the box called "skeleton" before repeated applying of natural red lacquer. After lacquering, delicately designed mother of pearl pieces are individually inlaid by the artist. The elaborate adornment with the iridescence of intricate mother of pearl designs makes it an impressive item for collection. The pine tree is a symbol of elevated consciousness and dignified spirit, and cranes represent nobility.

The houseware coated with natural lacquer has long been used in East Asia for its glossy beauty as well as its practicality for being strong, watertight and antibacterial.

Lacquered Wood Jewelry Box Inlaid with Mother of Pearl Longevity Design

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This exquisite jewelry box is lavishly decorated with a mother of pearl design of sipjangsaeng, 10 creatures that ancient Koreans, influenced by the Taoist philosophy, believed were created to enjoy eternal youth: sun, stone, water, cloud, pine tree, deer, bulnocho ('herb of eternal youth'), turtle, crane, and mountain. Inspired by the belief in a Taoist utopian world resided by Taoist elders who had found the secret of eternal life, ancient Koreans revealed their dreams of such a world through the 10 creatures.

The structure of the two doors above and two drawers below, as well as the three drawers on the inside is conceived from the traditional Korean wardrobe, and offers a pleasant way for storing valuable personal ornaments such as jewelry.

The houseware coated with natural lacquer has long been used in East Asia for its glossy beauty as well as its practicality for being strong, watertight and antibacterial.

Wood Jewelry Box Inlaid with Mother of Pearl Crane and Pine Design

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This wooden jewelry box depicts a serene image of cranes delighting in an idyllic moment under an old pine tree, a symbol of elevated consciousness and dignified spirit. The harmony between the natural wooden surface and the iridescence of the mother of pearl design makes it a memorable item for any collection.

Jewelry Box of Drawers inlaid with Mother of Pearl Flower and Bird

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Lavishly ornamented with mother of pearl patterns, this exquisite women's jewelry box consists of six drawers containing a flower-and-bird design. The elaborate adornment of the entire body (except for the back) makes it a breathtaking piece for storing personal fashion items. It is quite remarkable that the artist could depict the scene in such detail without brush nor pen, but only with mother of pearl strips.

Twin Cubic Mother of Pearl Cases with Crane and Pine Design

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Two small cubic boxes lavishly decorated with mother of pearl designs are connected with each other through two hinges. Each box has two drawers. The mother of pearl design of this exquisite document case depicts a serene image of a pair of cranes delighting in a romantic moment under an old pine tree and the full moon. The elaborate adornment with the iridescence of intricate mother of pearl designs makes it a breathtaking piece for storing personal fashion items.

Mother of Pearl Jewelry Box of Drawers Inlaid with Mandarin Ducks Design

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This exquisite jewelry box is lavishly decorated with a scene of two mandarin ducks spending a happy moment in a densely wooded forest. The main motif is situated in a circle at the front center, creating a wonderful contrast of colors between it and the rest of the design. In Korea, mandarin ducks are regarded as a symbol of a happily married couple who remain faithful to their partner their entire lives. The houseware coated with natural lacquer has long been used in East Asia for its glossy beauty as well as its practicality for being strong, watertight and antibacterial.

The structure of the two doors above and a drawer below, as well as the three drawers and hooks on the inside which is designed to rotate for hanging necklaces conveniently, is conceived from the traditional Korean wardrobe, and offers a pleasant way for storing valuable personal ornaments such as jewelry.

Octagonal Mother of Pearl Jewelry Box Inlaid with Landscape Design

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The beauty of the intricate landscape design covering this jewelry box exhibits the amazing craftsmanship and artistry of Korean mother of pearl crafts. It is quite remarkable that the artist could depict the scene in such detail without brush nor pen, but only with mother of pearl strips. The elaborate adornment with the iridescence of intricate mother of pearl designs makes it a breathtaking piece for collection.

Red-Lacquered Wood Cookie Box with Mother of Pearl Double Joy Character

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This octagonal red-lacquered wood candy box is embellished with a mother of pearl design double joy and longevity characters, and butterfly design. The red-lacquer is rarer and more expensive than normal lacquer and was used only in royal court in Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). The inside of the box is divided into nine compartments to hold an assortment of candy or cookie.

The houseware coated with natural lacquer has long been used in East Asia for its glossy beauty as well as its practicality for being strong, watertight and antibacterial.

Lacquered Octagonal Wooden Tray Inlaid with Mother of Pearl Bat Design

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This lacquerware wooden tray features a unique octagonal form containing a design of the bat design in the center. The edge of the tray is elegantly decorated with mother of pearl designs of arabesque in rhythmic lines and whorls of the vines. In Korea and China, a bat design has been used as a symbol of fortune that brings the happiest life imaginable. The houseware coated with natural lacquer has long been used in East Asia for its glossy beauty as well as its practicality for being strong, watertight and antibacterial.

Octagonal Mother of Pearl Food Box with Nine Compartments

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This octagonal container is embellished with a mother of pearl design depicting a peaceful scene in which two cranes are with their chicks in a nest. The inside of the container is divided into nine compartments to hold an assortment of food. The houseware coated with natural lacquer has long been used in East Asia for its glossy beauty as well as its practicality for being strong, watertight and antibacterial. The elaborate adornment with the iridescence of intricate mother of pearl designs makes it an impressive item for collection.

Four-Sectioned Lunch Box with Mother of Pearl Chrysanthemum Design

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This octagonal wooden lunch box is embellished with a mother of pearl chrysanthemum design. One of the "four noble beings" (sagunja) symbolizing fidelity and loyalty, the chrysanthemum has been one of the most favorite subjects used for adorning craftworks as it blooms until late autumn, thus overcoming the frost. The serene dark brown color of wood splendidly coated with natural lacquer creates a perfect harmony with the iridescent design of mother of pearl. The inside of the container is divided into four compartments to hold an assortment of food. The houseware coated with natural lacquer has long been used in East Asia for its glossy beauty as well as its practicality for being strong, watertight and antibacterial.

Mini Folding Mother of Pearl Screen Inlaid with Four Noble Beings Design

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Designed to ornament a corner or section off part of a room, this small folding screen displays a mother of pearl sagunja, or "four noble beings," containing four plants, maehwa (spring), orchid (summer), chrysanthemum (autumn) and bamboo (winter) that symbolize the four seasons.

Wood Picture Frame inlaid with Mother of Pearl Butterfly

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The traditional butterfly design with a modern touch embellishes the edges of this picture frame. The mother of pearl inlaying technique developed over a millennium ago complements this modern object wonderfully. The butterfly, a symbol of free love and happiness that has been used to decorate ladies' fashion or home accessories, is redesigned for this stylish picture frame.