Red Paulownia Nong

Paulownia burl doors, paulownia body; yellow brass fittings; natural lacquer finish. 

Mid nineteenth century, Kyong'gi Province. 
 
 
Height Width Depth
Inches
46.5
29
16
Centimeters
118
74
41
 
The nong is a two-unit stacked chest, used mainly for storing clothes. (Each unit of the nong can be placed separately and used as an end table.) This one was probably made for the lady's quarters, because it has rich color, a highly decorative grain, and is further graced with a delicate touch of nested frames around the door panels (another one with nested frames is the black persimmon nong). Confucian gentleman did not appreciate such frivolity. (For the ultimate favorite of the Confucian aristocrat, see the red pine bandaji.)
This grain of unusual distinctiveness is from a rarer strain of the paulownia family, and it would have been a very old and big tree that yielded these whole panels of burl (wood including roots or knots). 
The top of one unit is scarred, probably by burning candle wax, which illustrates the fragility of paulownia; this wood, however, is bug resistant and is not affected by humidity.
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1. Black paulownia nong

2. Linden bandaji

3. Zelkova burl jang

4. Paulownia ham

5. Red paulownia nong
6. Wild walnut nong
7. Red pine ham
8. Cherry bandaji
9. Zelkova bandaji

10. Persimmon nong
11. Zelkova lattice jang
12. Pine framed bandaji
13. Red pine bandaji		 More