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^[[Allen file]]

Regarding my collection of 82 pieces of ancient Korean pottery.

While I realize fully that this collection will enhance very greatly in value as the knowledge of things Japanese spreads, I have no proper place to keep and display it and am therefore ready to sacrifice it for an immediate sale.

The purchaser will get a written descriptive list, signed by me when American Minister to Korea and fully sworn to and sealed before the Secretary of Legation. To make assurance doubtly sure, I will give a sworn guarantee of the genuineness of the pieces and will agree to take back the collection and refund the money, if at any time within ten years from the date of sale the collection is proved not to be genuine.

I have long been considered an authority on this ware and this collection represents most careful study and investigation during my twenty years residence in Seoul, Korea. There can be no doubt as to the genuineness of each and every piece. The only expert on this ware in America, has shown himself most enthusiastic over the collection. Japanese enthusiasts have made a six days journey from Japan to Seoul to view and study the collection. Their enthusiasm never abated when studying the pieces carefully.

As explained in my catalogue and in the written and signed statement that will go with the collection, this ware antidates the present pottery manufacture of Japan. History shows that when the Japanese were using gourds and unglazed ware, the Koreans had this delicate, finely glazed Kaolin ware in use. So highly was this prized in Japan that at the close of the great invasion of Korea by the Japanese nearly four hundred years ago, Gen. Nabishima gathered up all this ware to be found, together with the potters and their families, and took them to Japan where he settled them upon the island of Satsuma, where their descendants may still be found. This was the origin of the famous Satsuma ware of to-day. The collection in question andtidates the commencement of the manufacture of the Satsuma ware, for old pieces which, fabulous prices are paid today.

For a very long time the Japanese have performed their "tea ceremony" by the use of pieces of the Korai or Ancient Korean pottery. This has made the ware most valuable in Japan, a thousand dollars Japanese ($500) being frequently paid for a simple little bowl of this ware. As none of the ware was being made in Korea for nearly 400 years, and as all the existing supply had been taken off to Japan, the only source of the supply was found to be the Royal Tombs, as it was the custom to bury stone boxes filled with the finest specimens of this highly prized ware, in the tombs of royal personages. Therefore these graves were robbed at times by Japanese. The fact that the Korean Royal Tombs contained articles of great value, therefore became noised abroad and in the China ports it was reported that golden coffins were to be had from robbing these