A modern pot-shaped celadon piece was sold to a local businessman for 100 million won (US$106,500), a price which has only been offered to antique Goryeo celadons, officials said Sunday.
The celadon, produced by prominent ceramic artisan Yun Do-hyun, is 100cm high and 320cm round and has been praised to have striking colors and beautiful curves.
The work, classifed as a Gangjin celadon named after Yun's hometown, was displayed in an exhibition of ceramics last month where it attracted the attention of a 60-year-old businessman, said officials at Gangjin, South Jeolla Province. Gangjin, about 400 km south of Seoul, is the birthplace and a major production base of Goryeo celadon.
The businessman later bought the celadon for 100 million won, marking the first time a modern ceramic piece was sold at such a high price, the officials said. Celadon works, produced during the Goryeo Kingdom (918-1392), have been sold for several hundered million won a piece.
"The 100 million won sales price shows the heightened status of the Gangjin celadon and it was recognized as a masterpiece," Yun, 63, said. "But I felt kind of sad as I had to sell it. It is like marrying off a grown-up daughter."
It took about five months and 300kg of clay to manufacture the celadon, he said.
Seoul, Nov. 5 (Yonhap News)
Modern celadon piece sold at rarely high price |
