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Antique Korean Wedding/ Dowry Chest
This piece comes from Korea and it dates to the early 1900s. Dimensions: 22.5 x 11 x 10.5 inchesThis type of chest is called a "hahm ((함)."
In historical Korean tradition, prior to the wedding, the hahm would be delivered by a groom and his male friends to the family home of the bride. The box would contain gifts from the groom's family in gratitude for allowing the bride's hand in marriage.
This box has all of the traditional elements typically seen on hahm chests.
The metalwork depicts designs of lotus and pullocho (a type of fungus), signs of longevity.
The edges and detailing are colored with red, the color of celebrations and prosperity.
The front has the Chinese characters for luck (福) and longevity (寿) carved left and right in red and yellow.
As a result of Chinese influence, Chinese characters were historically used in Korea for formal writings and events.
This item is in overall good condition.
There are some signs of normal wear and age, such as scratches on the sides. There is a mark under the closing mechanism. Part of the carved character on front right has signs of wear. There is also an age line in the lid and one on the bottom. (See images)
