Bronze figural sculpture of "Bixi", a mythological dragon tortoise, depicted with a fanned tail holding a monumental naturalistic mountain atop its shell, topped with two silver cranes, testing .99 pure silver with plated legs. Signed to underside of bronze. 8 3/4" H x 5" W x 10" D. Korean, early 20th century. Note: This item was a gift of Dr. and Mrs. Frend Irwin Johnson to this Tennessee Religious Institution. It was acquired by Dr. Johnson circa 1922 from Yi Kang (Prince Uihwa, fifth son of Emperor Gojong of Korea, and the last monarch of Korea prior to its annexation by Japan in 1910). The two men met circa 1905 while Yi Kang was attending Ohio Wesleyan University. According to documentation accompanying this lot, Dr. Irwin had befriended Yi Kang and provided some kind of assistance and advice before Yi Kang returned to Korea; when Dr. Irwin and his wife visited Korea in 1922, the prince gifted them with this object. According to Korean mythology, the world rests on the back of a fantail turtle. The block of bronze mounted on the turtle represents the world and the two cranes are symbols of long life and happiness. The institution's records of the oral history of the acquisition of this object (which refer to the Prince as Prince Lee) are available to the winning bidder.

PROVENANCE: Property of a Tennessee Religious Institution.

CONDITION: The sculpture is assembled, the mountain portion has been re-soldered to the turtle's shell. Oxidation.