A remarkable piece of Korean royal history sits quietly in a Seoul office, waiting for official recognition that could secure its place among the nation's most treasured artifacts. The ornate mother-of-pearl cabinet, standing over 170 centimeters tall and decorated with intricate floral and animal motifs, was a personal gift from King Gojong, the last monarch of the Joseon Dynasty, to American missionary and educator Homer B. Hulbert in the late 19th century.
The cabinet represents more than just exceptional craftsmanship—it symbolizes the deep relationship between the Korean king and the foreign scholar who dedicated over 20 years of his life to serving Korea during one of its most challenging periods. Hulbert arrived in Korea in 1886 and quickly became a trusted advisor to King Gojong, teaching the children of the royal family and other aristocrats while working tirelessly to defend Korea from Japanese influence.
Kim Dong-jin, chairperson of the Hulbert Memorial Society, now hopes the cabinet will receive national heritage recognition similar to a recent designation awarded to a comparable piece owned by another American missionary. The cabinet currently resides at the society's headquarters in Seoul after being donated by Hulbert's great-grandson in 2024, marking its return to Korea after more than a century of international travel.
According to Kim Samdaeja, an expert on antique Korean furniture and former cultural heritage committee member, the cabinet was likely crafted in Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province, in the late 19th century. The city served as a renowned center for mother-of-pearl lacquerware, and Kim believes the piece was created by Eom Seong-bong, considered the finest mother-of-pearl artisan of his time and grandfather of Eom Deok-mun, who later designed Seoul's Sejong Center for the Performing Arts.
"King Gojong often commissioned the best artisans in the country to produce high-quality gifts for foreign dignitaries," Kim explained. Only two other similar cabinets are known to exist today: one at the Appenzeller/Noble Memorial Museum under Pai Chai University, donated by descendants of American missionary Henry Appenzeller in 2022, and another at the State Museum of Oriental Art in Moscow, believed to have been acquired through a private collector in Manchuria.
The Appenzeller cabinet received National Folklore Cultural Heritage designation on September 25, recognized as a unique artifact reflecting the relationship between the Korean royal court and Western missionaries during the late Joseon period. Experts noted that three-tiered mother-of-pearl cabinets of this size and craftsmanship from that era are extremely rare, making each surviving piece historically significant.
The Hulbert cabinet's journey across continents reads like an adventure novel, with stops at some of the world's most prestigious museums. A handwritten note left with the cabinet by Hulbert's descendants provides cryptic clues about its travels, stating: "Sent from Korea to China as tribute. Returned to Korean king. To HBH." The note also mentions that the piece spent "Long time in Victoria & Albert Museum."
Museum records confirm this remarkable journey. In early 1899, Hulbert shipped the cabinet from America to London's South Kensington Museum, now known as the Victoria and Albert Museum, hoping they would purchase it as "a fine example of Korean art." When the museum declined due to damage sustained during transport, Hulbert offered it on loan, and by July 1899, the piece was displayed in the museum's Oriental section.
Kim Dong-jin provides context for Hulbert's decision to send the cabinet abroad: "In 1898, Hulbert was told to vacate his house by the authorities, as the Korean Empire was preparing for a visit by Prince Heinrich of Prussia. Hulbert returned to the U.S. with his family, and I believe he had taken the cabinet with him before shipping it to London."
The cabinet remained on display at the Victoria and Albert Museum until early 1906, when Hulbert authorized its transfer to an agent of the American Museum of Natural History in New York. However, the trail goes cold there—the American Museum of Natural History has no record of the cabinet entering its collection, despite receiving the shipment in April 1906.
Laurel Kendall, anthropology curator at the American Museum of Natural History, confirmed that while Hulbert did provide various Korean artifacts to the museum, including movable metal type currently on exhibit, "no large pieces of furniture" were among the donations. Similarly, the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History, which holds other Korean artifacts from Hulbert collected in 1893, 1899, and 1901, has no record of the cabinet.
The mystery deepens with the possibility that museum records from that era may be incomplete, especially for items on loan rather than permanent acquisitions. "Museum records can be incomplete, especially for things that were on loan, and not permanently added to the collection," noted Carrie Beauchamp, collections manager at the National Museum of Natural History.
Eventually, the cabinet found its way back to the Hulbert family, though the exact circumstances remain unclear. It became a treasured family heirloom, passed down through generations until it reached Hulbert's great-grandson, Kimball. He remembers the cabinet as a centerpiece in their Rye, New York home, where the family gathered for dinner each evening beside this piece of Korean royal history.
"It was a centerpiece in a large room that doubled as our living room and everyday dining room, so for the better part of my childhood, we sat next to it almost every evening having dinner as a family," Kimball recalled. "I didn't know much about it aside from the fact that it was old and fragile and beautiful."
When family circumstances required downsizing, Kimball faced the difficult decision of what to do with the cabinet. Unable to accommodate it in his New York City apartment, he chose to donate it to the Hulbert Memorial Society in 2024. "I would have loved to hold onto this beautiful piece of family history. But I live in New York City and space would not allow it," he explained.
Kimball's decision was also influenced by his respect for Kim Dong-jin's work preserving his great-grandfather's legacy. "I have known Kim Dong-jin and I am extremely impressed with and grateful for the work he is doing to promote my great-grandfather's legacy in Korea and I could think of no better person to own and care for the furniture," he said.
Now safely housed at the Hulbert Memorial Society's Seoul headquarters, the cabinet faces new challenges. Kim acknowledges that while the piece is secure, it requires professional conservation and a more suitable environment. "The current location isn't bad, but it's not suitable for such a delicate antique," he admitted.
Kim's ultimate vision extends beyond simple preservation. He hopes to establish a dedicated Hulbert Museum where the cabinet would serve as a centerpiece, telling the story of the American educator's contributions to Korea and the deep friendship between Hulbert and King Gojong. "My goal is to open a Hulbert Museum someday and I want this cabinet to be part of its permanent collection," Kim stated. "Until then, I'm open to lending it, but I'm not giving it away."
The push for national heritage recognition represents more than just bureaucratic classification—it would ensure proper conservation funding and official acknowledgment of the cabinet's historical significance. With the Appenzeller cabinet's recent designation setting a precedent, advocates hope this remarkable piece of Korean royal craftsmanship will soon receive the recognition it deserves, securing its preservation for future generations to study and admire.
