Given the state of the recovering Korean economy and the disruption to the sale date, Christie’s Korean specialist Heakyum Kim was encouraged to see most of the major Korean dealers in attendance underbidding many Falk collection entries.
Foremost in the Falk collection was an iron-coated and celadon-glazed stoneware maebyong, Koryo dynasty, 12th century. Skillfully decorated with three willow branches carved out of the iron slip, it generated interest from museums and dealers.
Ginseng trees are more commonly depicted on these ceramics than willow trees, and it brought $220,000 (£157,145) from an Asian dealer on the telephone.
An early 16th century anonymous Korean mountain landscape painting shared the top slot with the maebyong. Consigned by the renowned US-based Chinese art collector Stephen Junkunc III, the painting was influenced by the Chinese Northern Song landscape tradition. Early in date and in good condition, it was taken to $220,000 (£157,145) by an institution – either European or American – that intends to research the scroll and display it in the future. It was underbid by a private buyer and a New York dealer.
Willows and mountain scenes help Korean art steal the show
The most hotly contested property in Christie’s 335-lot Japanese and Korean sale on October 15 was a selection of Korean art from the Falk collection. Just over half of the reasonably estimated 55 Korean entries hailed from this New York collection, that attracted new American buyers as well as regular European privates and dealers.
