A pollack in white cotton, printed with clusters of small blue flowers on green stems and a scatter of pale blue dots between them, and a single black bead for an eye. Ivory silk thread, twisted into a thick cord, wraps the body once and runs up to a white ring clasp. The fabric is cut from printed yardage, so the flowers land differently on every fish and no two carry the same arrangement. The dried pollack bound in silk thread and hung by the door, aengmagi myeongtae (액막이 명태), is still a standard gift at a Korean housewarming or a shop opening: the fish keeps bad luck outside. This one is soft and light, 15.5cm nose to tail and about 19cm counting the loop, so it hangs from a door handle, a hook, a shelf edge or a bag strap. Cotton throughout, so it washes: cold water, on its own. Also in Roa, the same fish in a red, yellow and pink floral print. Wash in cold water, separately. Do not bleach or tumble dry.
