18th Century Heritage Mooncills Sold For IDR 46 Billion In Auctions In New York

The lock of the Joseon Dynasty relic from the 19th century was auctioned off in Christie's. (Source: Christie's)

The 18th-century Korean moon box from the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) sold for 2.83 million US dollars (Rp46,695,000,000) at the Christie's New York auction hall on Tuesday, surpassing pre-auction forecasts of 1.8 to 2.5 million US dollars.

This white cap, which is a symbol of a typical Korean ceramic tradition, has a harmonious round shape consisting of two half-spheres that are smoothly combined in the middle.

Characterized by its glowing glasir and penetrating light and elegant simplicity, the moon jar reflects the essence of Korean aesthetics.

"Many Korean ceramics take cultural references from China, but moon jars are unique Korean items," said Takaaki Murakami, head of Japanese and Korean art at Christie's, as reported by The Korea Times March 20.

"In my opinion, for Koreans, this is something they celebrate because it distinguishes them from the artwork of neighboring countries," he continued.

Made by unidentified pottery makers, lunar jars were mostly made between the end of the 17th and early 19th centuries during the Joseon Dynasty, with only about 20 examples known to survive around the world. Although rare, lunar jars are still celebrated as the pinnacle of Korean ceramic art, which inspire contemporary reinterpretations.

Guci yang dilelang di lelang Seni Jepang dan Korea Christie's selama Pekan Seni Asia dibedakan terutama oleh bentuknya yang lebih, sebuah pencapaian teknis yang penting karena risiko koncuran selama proses pembakaran.

Murakami also described the jar glasir as "reflecting and rich" and praised the impressive Joseon-era art representation.

Earlier, in 2023, another incredible lunar jar sold for $4.56 million at Christie's, breaking records and underlining the value of this unique Korean cultural heritage.