Antique Korean Bandaji Nong Tansu Scholars Wedding Cabinet

20th Century Korean Tansu Nong Bandaji tallboy wedding chests / cabinet / armoire made of elmwood featuring a two tone wood grain and brass hardware. Korean Bandaji chest or trunk f...

A Korean "Book Bandaji" (known as Chaek Jang) circa late 19th to early 20th century (end of Joseon period). Made form solid pine, the relatively large cabinet was placed in men's stu...

A small Korean drop-front chest (Bandaji) made from zelkova wood (Korean Elm) with iron hardware fittings circa early to mid-19th century (Joseon period). Possibly from Chungcheong D...

Antique Korean Bandaji chest or trunk featuring Zelkova elm frame with brass accents. The Korean name bandaji (literally meaning "half clo...

A striking Korean wedding Bandaji with beautiful original condition and patina circa 19th century of late Joseon Dynasty. Bandaji is known as drop front half-opening chest that was u...

One of the most beautiful Korean Bandajis we have had with original patina circa mid-19th century of late Joseon Dynasty. Purchased in Seoul in 1987 and still retains its original hand-written invoice (dated to 1840s). Essentially a Korean drop front half-opening chest, Bandaji was widely used in the household to store family valuables, clothes and beddings. This particular piece on offer was made in Pyongyang area in now North Korea as a wedding chest indicated by the specific auspicious symbols on the metal hardware. Constructed in pearwood, a relatively rare wood type from northern peninsular, which is rather plain and lacks grains but mellowed into a lovely yellow color, the chest was instead sumptuously decorated with nickel-copper (Paktong) plates, hinges, stripes and bosses. Covering much of the entire front of the cabinet, the metal plates were placed with eye-pleasing symmetry pattern. The top row is centered with a large square lock plate with latch and a lock (with key), flanked by a pair of pulls in the bat form (symbol of luck). The middle row has two cloud-form hinges alternate with four large vertical pairs of rectangular hinges. The lower row features a large fish plate (symbol of abundance) flanked by two crane plate...

An antique Korean wedding wood Bandaji circa 19th century from the late Joseon Dynasty. Rarely available, this Bandaji was from Pakchon area in Pyongan Do (in nowadays North Korea). ...

A two-tier stacking storage cabinet on comforting stand, known as Nong in Korean, circa early 20th century (end of Joseon to Korean Empire Period). Each cabinet is fitted with a pair of paneled doors opening in the center to ample storage. The upper cabinet also has a row of four small drawers on top. The stacking cabinet directly sit directly on top of the support stand. Constructed in pine frame with exposed finger joints, they were simply finished in black lacquer on top and the sides. The facade of the cabinets, however, showcases meticulously chosen persimmon wood panels. The striking wood veneer with the bold black grains were perfectly matched in mirrored fashion. Visually arresting, the dark wood grains appear like bold strokes on an abstract ink painting. The yellow brass hardware is of relatively smaller sizes with subdued motifs in order not to overtake the beauty of the wood. They consist of drawer pulls, corner brackets, petal-form hinges and larger lock plates with cutout coin design. The interior was stripped clean showing the natural wood and some residues of old lining rice paper. We can trace the Nong cabinet on offer here to the more southern providences of the Korean Peninsula where Persimmon trees grow and were harvested, such as Jeolla Do or Chungcheong Do. The wood was beloved by Korean furniture makers in Yi dynasty and used on eye-catching pieces to emphasize the natural beauty of the wood. Examining the piece, one can see extensive and deep patina incurred from its age and previous use, yet the cabinet remains aesthetically stunning as an antique piece with an unexpected modern flare. For a similar two-tier chest with near identical configuration, size and wood used, see relic no 007182 in the collection of National Folk Museum of Korea in Seoul. The piece is also illustrated on the cover as well as page 46 of the book "Korean Antique...

Korean Wedding Bandaji Chest Joseon Dynasty style.A Korean Bandaji chest circa late early to mid 20th century of Joseon Dynasty. Known as drop fr...

Antique Korean Bandaji chest on stand or trunk featuring Zelkova elm frame with brass accents. The Korean name bandaji (literally meaning ...