FEATURED BOOK REVIEW

Korean Flower Stone Association. Daegu. 157 pages, No ISBN. 

This catalog documents the 2^nd exhibition of the Korean Flower Association held on September 16, 2009. The exhibit consisted of 138 specimens of flower stones (화문석 (花紋石) from the northwestern region of Cheongsong province. This association was established in 2008 to bring together collectors of flower stones from this region.  

Flower stones are types of spherulites that formed in dykes, tubular or sheet-like bodies of rock that cut through older layers of rock. The dykes are typically igneous rock or magma that enters a fracture and cools. The flower-like formations are radiating clusters of acicular formation of fibrous quartz and feldspars. Rapidly cooling magma yields different flower-like patterns than slowly cooling magma. Natural rocks containing these deposits are ground and polished to reveal the “flowers.” These are highly valued by certain collectors. Korean flower stones are distinct from Chinese and Japanese flower stones. 

The excellent photographs and printing of this volume illustrate a stunning array of patterns. Different patterns have been grouped in categories aligned with flower types—sunflower, rose, peony, apricot, chrysanthemum, and others. Some Korean collectors do not consider these stones to be Suseok since they have been mechanically shaped and polished.