일제강점기의 한국인 고미술품 수장가는 1930년대 이후 점차 윤곽이 드러나게 되었다. 1930~40년 당시 대표적인 한국인 수장가 가운데 한 사람인 함석태(1889~?)는 한국인 최초의 치과의사이자 한국인 최초의 치과 개업의로 당시 주요한 고미술품 수집가인 장택상, 윤치영, 한상억, 이한복, 박병래 및 문학가 이태준 등과 교유하였다. 함석태는 한국 최초의 치과의사라는 기록 외에 고미술품 수장가로 ‘小物珍品大王’이라는 평을 들을 정도로 진기한 도자기 및 공예품을 많이 소장하였다. 1944년 일제의 소개령에 따라 자신의 수장품을 모두 차에 싣고 고향인 평안북도로 가서 광복을 맞이하였다가 월남에 실패한 함석태의 이후의 소식은 알 수 없다. 아마도 황해도 해주에서 배를 이용하여 가족들과 고미술품을 함께 가져오려다 실패한 듯하다. 함석태의 수장품 가운데 현재 확인할 수 있는 작품은 도자기 15점, 회화 4점뿐이다. 근현대 격동의 시기를 거치면서 우리나라의 중요한 수장가들의 수장품들이 그 소재조차 알 수 없게 된 경우가 많은데 함석태의 수장품 역시 비극적인 운명을 맞게 된 것이다. 현재 전해오는 그의 수장품 가운데에는 북한의 국보로 지정될 정도로 뛰어난 작품들이 있다. 이들 작품을 통해 함석태의 뛰어난 감식안, 심미안을 느낄 수 있으며, 특히 소품, 진기한 모양의 고미술품에 매료되었던 그의 섬세한 기질 등을 확인할 수 있게 해준다. 함석태야말로 경제적 타산을 도외시하고 ‘精魂을 기울여’ 고미술품을 수집한 모범적인 수장가의 한 사람으로 꼽을 수 있다. 그와 교유한 여러 고미술품 수집가들은 물론 이태준 등 문인과의 교유와 문인들의 고미술품 완상 풍조 등에 대한 접근은 1930년대 문화계의 일면을 알 수 있게 해주는 작업으로서 이 방면에 대한 연구는 차후의 과제로 삼고자 한다.

Many figures in Seoul and the provinces can be pointed out as Korean antique art collectors of the Japanese colonial period. The outline of these major collectors gradually became expose dafter the 1930s. One of the representative Korean collectors in 1940, Ham Seok-Tae was the first figure on record who studied dentistry in Korea. The first Korean dentist, Ham Seok-Tae, interacted with the major antique art collectors and literary men of the period. In addition to holding the honorable record as the first Korean dentist, Ham Seok-Tae owned many rare ceramics and craft work, so much so that he was known as the "Great King of Genuine Small Items of Art." In accordance with the evacuation order of the Japanese Empire in 1944, near the end of the Japanese colonial period, Ham Seok-Tae took all his collection pieces by car to his home village in Pyeong-an-buk-do (North Pyeong-an Province) and it was there that he welcomed Korea’s liberation from Japan. But Ham Seok-Tae failed to return south and thereafter nothing about him is known. It is conjectured that perhaps he tried to bring his family and antique art by ship from Haeju in Hwanghae-dobut failed. Of the works currently passed down, there are only 15 ceramics and 4 paintings confirmed to be from Ham Seok-Tae’s collection. Passing through the turbulence of modern period, many collections of Korea’s major art collectors have disappeared and their whereabouts are still not known. Ham Seok-Tae’s collection likewise met a tragic end. Among the collection of Ham Seok-Tae currently passed down, there are masterpieces that have been designated as national treasure of North Korea. Through these works, Ham’s outstanding eye for discernment and beauty can be felt and especially his disposition for being captivated by small, rare-shaped antique art can be confirmed. Indeed, Ham Seok-Tae can be considered one of the exemplary collectors of modern Korea who possess extraordinarily discerning eye and passion for collecting. The social intercourse of various antique art collectors as well as leading men of letters who associated with Ham Seok-Tae and the approach of these literary circle figures to antique art appreciation and trend are topics for subsequent study, as a work that makes one aspect of the 1930s literary world understandable.

Many figures in Seoul and the provinces can be pointed out as Korean antique art collectors of the Japanese colonial period. The outline of these major collectors gradually became expose dafter the 1930s. One of the representative Korean collectors in 1940, Ham Seok-Tae was the first figure on record who studied dentistry in Korea. The first Korean dentist, Ham Seok-Tae, interacted with the major antique art collectors and literary men of the period. In addition to holding the honorable record as the first Korean dentist, Ham Seok-Tae owned many rare ceramics and craft work, so much so that he was known as the "Great King of Genuine Small Items of Art." In accordance with the evacuation order of the Japanese Empire in 1944, near the end of the Japanese colonial period, Ham Seok-Tae took all his collection pieces by car to his home village in Pyeong-an-buk-do (North Pyeong-an Province) and it was there that he welcomed Korea’s liberation from Japan. But Ham Seok-Tae failed to return south and thereafter nothing about him is known. It is conjectured that perhaps he tried to bring his family and antique art by ship from Haeju in Hwanghae-dobut failed. Of the works currently passed down, there are only 15 ceramics and 4 paintings confirmed to be from Ham Seok-Tae’s collection. Passing through the turbulence of modern period, many collections of Korea’s major art collectors have disappeared and their whereabouts are still not known. Ham Seok-Tae’s collection likewise met a tragic end. Among the collection of Ham Seok-Tae currently passed down, there are masterpieces that have been designated as national treasure of North Korea. Through these works, Ham’s outstanding eye for discernment and beauty can be felt and especially his disposition for being captivated by small, rare-shaped antique art can be confirmed. Indeed, Ham Seok-Tae can be considered one of the exemplary collectors of modern Korea who possess extraordinarily discerning eye and passion for collecting. The social intercourse of various antique art collectors as well as leading men of letters who associated with Ham Seok-Tae and the approach of these literary circle figures to antique art appreciation and trend are topics for subsequent study, as a work that makes one aspect of the 1930s literary world understandable.

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Ham Seok-Tae, Japanese colonial period, dentist, antique art, collection, collector, appraisal