Joseon 'Crane and Tortoise' Jar Fetches $344,400 at ACES Gallery Fall Auction

A blue and white ovoid jar from Korea's Joseon Dynasty, decorated with cranes and tortoises, sold for $344,400 at ACES Gallery's Fall Estates Auction on October 18, far surpassing its $10,000 high estimate. The 18th century vessel topped a 452-lot sale that brought in $940,000 overall, with all figures including buyer's premium. Alex Fonarow, appraiser, auctioneer and owner of ACES Gallery, recalled first encountering the piece on the living room floor of an unassuming home in Bedford, New York, where it held a potted plant. He credited sustained research, repeated library visits and a focused marketing campaign with drawing bidders who confirmed its authenticity. Standing 13 ½ inches tall with a matching diameter, the jar carries underglaze blue decoration: divine tortoises and cranes alternate within circular medallions, each paired with a cloud or auspicious vapor. The crane iconography was central to the piece's identification.