2-Piece Desk Set: Masterpiece Najeon Gold-Trimmed Peony Roof-Tile Pen Case in Black + Business Card Case (Master Artisan Kim Yong-gwan)

Overview

Two desk pieces sold together: a pen case in black and a matching business card case, both worked with the mokdan-giwa pattern — peony blossoms arranged in the register you would find on the end tile of a Korean roof — and finished with gold-toned edging.

The black ground is the point of this version. Against it the shell inlay reads at maximum contrast, and the pair sits well on a dark desk without competing with the wood.

Heritage & Craft

Small objects are disproportionately demanding in najeon. There is no forgiving open field to hide a misplaced fragment, and the lacquer has to be built up thin enough that the case still closes cleanly. The shell is cut, set, buried under lacquer, then abraded back by hand across a surface the size of a palm.

Giwa motifs come from Korean architectural terracotta — the round end tiles that finish a temple eave, each stamped with a flower or a face and traditionally read as a guard against misfortune. Combined with the peony's message of prosperity, the pattern is a wish for a protected, well-provided household.

Artist

Made by Kim Yong-gwan, a Korean master craftsman working in najeon inlay.

Specifications

• Material: lacquered wood, natural mother-of-pearl inlay, gold-toned trim
• Motif: mokdan-giwa, peony in the roof-tile register
• Colour: black
• Set contents: 2 pieces — pen case and business card case
• Origin: Handmade in South Korea
• Brand: K-Crafts | Code: KS-P0000JYQ

Gifting

A two-piece desk set is the standard Korean answer to a corporate gift — a client handover, a promotion, a partner visiting from overseas. Both items are used daily and neither requires the recipient to find shelf space.