About Korean Furniture

Authentic antique Korean traditional furniture is now rare in Korea, at least partially because of the drain of traditional objects from Korea into Japan and the West.  After the many wars Korea fought with its neighbors, many pieces were burned as firewood so the people could survive the bitter cold winters with wind blowing in from Mongolia and Siberia. With the dearth of original pieces, reproductions have become popular, especially with wood salvaged from older pieces. Pieces that have been preserved in good condition are rare and are quite expensive.

The dating and manufacture of Korean antique furniture is difficult.  The country has a long tradition of furniture making during the lengthy Chosen, or Yi dynasty (1392 – 1910) but furniture production remains relatively unchanged. This is due in part to the very conservative and insular nature of Korean society during the latter half of the dynasty when socio-political structure, based upon the Neo-Confucian model, requires unselfconsciousness and simplicity of life.  Furniture is characterized by restraint and austere simplicity of line and proportion. The most notable form of furniture are the chests, which are little more than large boxes with straight lines. Curves do appear but are mainly on the legs of chests, desks, and book storage cabinets. This strict adherence to style and traditional functions in the house during the lengthy Yi dynasty makes it difficult to date Korean furniture. The problem is exasperated by the lack of knowledge and misconception of the early Korean society.  Accordingly, experts have difficulty accurately dating Korean furniture pieces and therefore date most of them to the 19th century.  Our gallery has many authentic pieces to offer.