Will This “Five Dragon Claws” White Porcelain Ojoryongmunho Jar Rewrite Korean Auction History?

The emergence of a porcelain jar with five dragon claws is stirring the Korean antique industry. It is estimated that this piece was produced during the Yeongjeongjo period (1724 – 1800), when the national power was strong during the Joseon dynasty. In this era, the dragon symbolizes the king, and the claws of the dragon symbolize the authority of the royal family.

My Art Auction, a Korean antique auction company, will display the Blue-and-White Porcelain Ojoryongmunho jar at auction on May 25, 2023. Ojoryong means a dragon with five claws. The price starts at about USD 5.23 million (KRW 7 billion) with a high estimate of up to $9 million (KRW 12 billion). The porcelain jar is considered a national treasure, and even if the deal is made at the starting price, it would be the highest price for a Korean antique in 27 years.

Most recently in Korean antique auction sales, the old book Manuscript of Yi Hwang and Song Si-yeol sold for about $2.55 million (KRW 3.4 billion) in 2012. Manuscript of Yi Hwang and Song Si-yeol is designated as a Korean treasure and appears on a 1,000-won Korean bill. Overseas, at Christie’s New York in 1996, the Iron and White Porcelain Dragon Gate Jar was traded at a winning price of $8.41 million, a record. 

The available Blue-and-White Porcelain Ojoryongmunho is a large 56cm white porcelain jar. The S-shaped curve from the upper part to the lower part is considered very flexible and beautiful. On the front, two soaring dragons are dynamically engraved to catch the cintamani seen through the clouds. The direction of the dragon’s toe claws containing the king’s dignity and status extends radially.

This work is attracting attention because of the five dragon claws (Ojoryong). The antique industry believes that there are currently about ten white porcelains of Ojoryong around the world. There are currently two confirmed cases in Korea. It is said that there are only a few more overseas.

“The Blue-and-White Porcelain Ojoryongmunho is the best considering the shape, pattern, and glaze of porcelain,” auctioneer Kim Jung-min said. “In particular, most of the white porcelain of Ojoryong was repaired due to cracks, but this work is very excellent without any repair or cracks.”

If the piece sells at the highest estimated price in this auction, a fresh wind is expected to blow in the Korean auction market. An official from the auction industry said, “Korean antique works cannot be exported overseas, so foreigners have not participated in the trade of antique works. If this work hits the highest price in this auction, it can lead to a revaluation of the value of Korean antique works.”