A record-setting sale of Korean works of art rings up $366,366 at Lark Mason Associates on iGavel Auctions

19th century Korean Ancestor Portrait, detail, Gouache on Paper, Hanging Scroll, image: 25 by 17 1/2, overall length: 59 in. Estimate $700-1000. Sold for $ 81,250. Lark Mason Associates.

NEW BRAUNFELS, TX.- Exceeding all expectations, the sale of Korean Works of Art at Lark Mason Associates on the iGavel Auctions platform closed on April 26th with a sale total of $366,366 including buyers premium. Fifty lots of ceramics, paintings, furniture and metalwork, most of which emanated from a local Central Texas collector, whose eye for quality and rarity were evident in the strong and, in some instances, extended bidding from Asia, Europe, and the United States.  

The biggest surprise of all came on the last day of this exciting sale. The final lot, a 19th century painting of a high-ranking civil servant, finely rendered with delicate details (Estimate: $700-$1,000) was scheduled to close at 12:30 pm on but fierce bidding pushed it to a record-breaking $81,250 for this kind of painting.  

19th century Korean Ancestor Portrait, Gouache on Paper, Hanging Scroll, image: 25 by 17 1/2, overall length: 59 in. Estimate $700-1000. Sold for $ 81,250. Lark Mason Associates.

The second highest lot was by the artist Kim Hong-do, the most famous 18th/19th century painter in Korea (Estimate: $400-600). This small piece, depicting a figure on a leopard, achieved a final bid price of $66,875. Closing an hour earlier, and again with more than 25 minutes of extended bidding, was an impressive colorful pair of large Korean Dongja, snapped up by a collector for $57,500 (Estimate: $1,500-2,000), winning out over 32 bids.  

Kim Hong-do (Korean, 18th-19th century), Tiger and Immortal, Colored Ink on Silk, 1 by 13 in. (27.9 by 33.1 cm). Estimate $400-600. Sold for $ 66,875. Lark Mason Associates.

A pair of Large 20th century Korean Dongja, circa 1950, 29 in. (73.7 cm) & 27 in. (68.6 cm). Estimate $1500-2500. Sold for $57,500. Lark Mason Associates

Each of these lots saw a diverse group of bidders competing for what was truly a great collection.  Several of the other highlights included an eight-panel screen, a Korean Buddhist painting, and three works on paper.  All of these items went into extended bidding, with all achieving over $10,000 and several reaching over $20,000.

Korean Scholar’s Eight Panel Screen depicting scholars objects in a library setting, 19th-20th Century, 67 7/8 by 140 1/4 in. (172.4 by 356.2 cm). Estimate $2000-3000. Sold for $27,500. Lark Mason Associates

Korean Buddhisitic Painting, 19th Century, 51 by 64 in. (129.5 by 162.6 cm). Estimate $5000-8000. Sold for $22,500. Lark Mason Associates

Korean Colored Ink on Paper, Portrait of a Seated Monk, 19th Century, 46 1/2 x 31 in. (118.1 by 78.7 cm). Estimate $4000-6000. Sold for $17,500. Lark Mason Associates.

Korean Immortals, Gouache on Paper, 45 by 33 in. Estimate $1500-2500. Sold for $15,000. Lark Mason Associates.

Korean Gilt Bronze Buddhist Ritual Box, Joseon Dynasty. Estimate $10000-15000. Sold for $ 11,250. Lark Mason Associates.