Najeon Business Card Case by Jang Chul-young — Kkeuneumjil Mother-of-Pearl & Urushi

A pocket card case in natural lacquer and mother-of-pearl, made in the workshop of Jang Chul-young — named in 2022 as a holder of Korea's National Intangible Heritage for najeon (mother-of-pearl inlay).

Jang works in kkeuneumjil, the oldest and most exacting najeon technique: shell is cut into hair-fine strips and broken, piece by piece, along a blade to build lines and geometric fields, then sealed under layer after layer of natural urushi. It is the technique behind Joseon-era sutra boxes, and only a handful of people in Korea are recognized as carrying it. This is the smallest way to own his work — a case that goes in a jacket pocket and catches the light every time it opens.

Details

• Maker: Jang Chul-young (장철영), National Intangible Heritage holder, Najeonjang (kkeuneumjil)
• Materials: Natural mother-of-pearl shell, natural lacquer (urushi), metal fittings
• Size: 9 × 11 × 0.5 cm · Holds standard business cards

Watch: how Korean inlaid lacquer is made

The Victoria and Albert Museum on the najeon chilgi process, from lacquer ground to cut shell. (A general introduction — not this specific piece.)

Please read before ordering

• Handmade to order in the maker's workshop; small variations in shell color are part of the piece.
• Natural urushi lacquer, fully cured. People highly sensitive to poison ivy, sumac or mango should handle with care.
• Shell only — no tortoiseshell or ivory. Shell species and origin confirmed with the workshop before shipping.
• Ships from New Jersey in 3–4 weeks. Price includes all import duties. Fully insured, signature required.