Visiting Seoul
 

I'll have the opportunity soon to spend some time in Seoul and would appreciate any information on collections to view and dealers to meet.

I realise it's unlikely Korean weapons will be allowed to be exported, but it may be possible to find arms from nearby countries.

Apologies if this is not the place for this query.

Thanks in advance.

Jerseyman,

It has been several years since I have visited Seoul and but I recall that there were almost no ethnographic weapons available for sale. Hopefully things have changed. There is a street call "Mary's alley" across from the main palace downtown that has some antique stores that may have something. There is also an antique district further out from the center near one of the commercial markets. Fake everything abounds. Fake celadon vases, fake Ming vases... I picked up a fake "ancient" Korean dagger as a souvenir. The metal was so soft I am not sure I could use it as a letter opener! On the positive side a couple of great museums downtown and a great museum on the Korean war. Best of luck!

Very little hope of finding ANY (you can read this as almost nil/zero/zilch/nada) kind of genuine and quality Korean antiques and even less so weapons.

Instead of wasting your time to find something, better focus on visiting their excellent national museum and the 4 palaces in Seoul.

You can buy some genuine, albeit newly made, traditional green Koryo celadon, some laquer-ware and maybe some Andong Hahoe wood masks or a pair of Korean wedding ducks. You may find all these in high end souvenir shops in Itaewon district. However, be aware that most of cheaper souvenirs sold in abundance as being Korean made, are in fact from China.

To get an idea of the types of sovenirs you may find, you can browse

www.korean-arts.com

They sell genuine, more or less traditional Korean souvenirs, but in my oppinion, they are your best shot.

Have a nice and enjoyable trip!

Marius

PS: I lived one year in Seoul.