λ A RARE TORTOISESHELL AND LACQUER KOREAN BADUK BOARD

λ A RARE TORTOISESHELL AND LACQUER KOREAN BADUK BOARD
JOSEON DYNASTY, 18TH/19TH CENTURY

Of square shape with a typical grid to the top, richly embellished to the sides with a large dragon and a phoenix amongst scrolling clouds, all rendered in tortoiseshell and twisted wire inlays on the warm gold lacquer ground; with a shaped apron decorated with leaves, fruits and auspicious symbols, 30.5cm x 48cm x 47.5cm.

Provenance: from the collection of Dr Richard Brown, and thence by descent.

Dr. Richard F. Brown (1898-1963) was a Canadian Anglican missionary doctor who served in China, most notably at St. Paul's Hospital in Henan, starting around 1930. During the Second Sino-Japanese War, he became a field doctor, providing urgent medical aid near the front lines and famously collaborating with fellow Canadian Dr. Norman Bethune in 1938 to treat wounded soldiers.

In Korea, especially during the Joseon Dynasty, the use of materials like tortoiseshell was a hallmark of elite and royal objects. The dragon and phoenix pairing was often reserved for objects intended for the royal family, particularly furnishings for the Queen's quarters or items related to the court.