Charming Primitive Early ROK Republic Of and 34 similar items

Stands a bit over four inches tall made of solid brass no doubt sand cast as the detail is crude. There are glass insets. The photos flatter it some HOWEVER should you take this apart and give it a good cleaning and polishing it will look ten times better than any of these photos. Very likely a fifties send-home or "sweetheart" item purchased by a US serviceman in Korea at the time. Somewhere along the way one of the original brass screws holding it together was replaced. Book style, they fold for display or easy storage. Simple but of a pleasing rustic charm with traditional imagery. We see musicians, some people dancing, a pagoda, and in the sky either swans or cranes. Intriguing reversal of typical Oriental manufactured items which tend to economize on materials but not labor, this item is quickly made from costly brass. I have to think they were using wartime shell casings salvaged from the fields, at least that seems a strong likelihood.