Joseon Two-Tier Bookcase, Gyeonggi Region

The first piece in the GOBOKII collection. Everything here began with this bookcase.

A two-tier bookcase built by a Gyeonggi cabinetmaker in pine and fastened in iron. Evenly-sized frame members, four quartered door panels, low iron fittings — proportions with nothing to add and nothing to take away. Late Joseon bookcases of this size and quality are usually found behind museum glass; the Lee Kun-hee donation at the National Museum of Korea holds several of the same family.

Here it stands within reach rather than behind glass. You can open the doors and feel the grain and the weight of the iron for yourself. We think of it as living heritage — something to hand on to the next generation as it is. Objects that have been used for a long time are best preserved by continuing to be used.

Related Objects in Museum Collections

Bookcases from the Lee Kun-hee donation at the National Museum of Korea, found on Korea's e-Museum. Comparing their forms shows where this piece stands.