Korea has a long history of artistic handcrafted bronze ware—both for decorative and for practical (food service) uses. Shown above, a decorative bronze charger made in South Korea in the Fifties. It was probably brought-back to the States by an American serviceman who had been stationed in Korea.
The wide-rimmed charger is decorated with a highly-detailed bas relief wildlife scene. A pike leaps vigorously from the waters. Lilly pads, river grasses and a riverbank landscape can be seen behind him. It is all captured in tremendous detail. And, yet, the dynamic fish is the clear focus of the composition.
Koreans have long used bronze ware for serving food—especially amongst the wealthy. Bronze was thought to be able to reveal poison in food (by changing color with exposure to toxins), thus royal families utilized finely-crafted bronze for serving platters, plates and bowls. Additionally, bronze is a good conductor of heat and cold. This feature makes the metal useful for preserving the proper temperature in hot or cold dishes.
The pike is a popular "sporting" species for fishermen and is known to put-up a good fight when hooked. While some peoples eat pike, it is very bony, making it difficult to prepare (thus it has become popular with "catch-and-release" fishermen). It can be found throughout the Northern Hemisphere. The largest pike—found in Europe—was 59" long and weighed 63 pounds. Pike prefer calm waters where they will lie in-wait, near the bottom, amongst vegetation, and ambush their prey with lightening speed. Vegetation is important also for pike reproduction; because the pike is an aggressive hunter, its own offspring need sufficient places to hide from their predatory elders. The pike earned that name because its tapered, pointed head resembles wooden pikes once used for defense.
Click on the photo above to learn more about this handsome, Korean bronze charger.
Though our Greenwich Village store is now permanently closed, LEO Design is still alive and well! Please visit our on-line store where we continue to sell Handsome Gifts (www.LEOdesignNYC.com).
We also can be found in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, at The Antique Center of Strabane (www.antiquecenterofstrabane.com).
Or call to arrange to visit our Pittsburgh showroom (by private appointment only). 917-446-4248