Dan Paterson
These images show the Choson hwalcha, 95 pieces of early Korean moveable type from the collections of the Asian Division of the Library of Congress. The Choson hwalcha is being studied to determine more about its origin and how the collection is connected to the broader history of printing with moveable type in Korea. This research is being conducted through partnership with Dr. Lee Seung-cheol, Director, Research and Development Division, UNESCO International Centre for Documentary Heritage, and Head of the Curator Research Department, Cheongju Early Printing Museum, Republic of Korea.
At the request of Dr. Lee, I assembled the 95 pieces of Choson hwalcha together in groups and photographed each group twice. The first image of the grouping shows the front or face of the pieces and the second image shows the undersides. Dr. Lee will use the images to compare the physical characteristics of the pieces to other known examples of Korean metal type or printing. The hope is Dr. Lee will then be able to make determinations about the history of the Library of Congress moveable type collection, including when it was used and its place within the history and practice of early printing in Korea.
