Chun Suk Hahn Colour‑Vision Tests, 1981 — Presentation Copy & Working Copy

Dr. Chun Suk Hahn’s pseudoisochromatic colour‑vision tests represent a significant contribution to late‑20th‑century ophthalmic diagnostics, offering a regional alternative to Ishihara and forming part of a sustained programme of chromatic‑discrimination research in Korea. This paired set brings together two volumes associated with Prof. J. D. Moreland, whose work on tritan discrimination, anomaloscopy, and macular pigment density made him one of the most influential British colour‑vision researchers of his generation. The combination of a formal presentation copy and Moreland’s own working instrument provides a rare, coherent provenance narrative documenting both professional exchange and practical use.

The first volume is the abridged edition of Hahn’s Modern Pseudoisochromatic Color Vision Test, produced in 1981 by Hahn Medical Instruments in Seoul. This eleven‑plate spiral‑bound version reflects Hahn’s mature design phase, characterised by controlled chromatic purity and plate construction intended to differentiate red‑green and blue‑yellow anomalies. Although printed in 1981, this copy was formally presented to Moreland in Seoul on 13 August 2002, as recorded in Hahn’s clear, dated inscription. The inscription also references Hahn’s “new Double 15‑Hue Test,” providing a precise contextual anchor for the meeting between the two researchers. Presentation copies of diagnostic instruments are uncommon, and inscribed examples linking two named figures in colour‑vision science are particularly scarce.

The second volume is Moreland’s full working copy of Hahn’s test, produced by Hanil Medical Instruments. In contrast to the presentation copy, this volume shows the expected signs of professional use and retains contemporary handwritten notes documenting a colour‑vision assessment conducted in Seoul in August 2002. These notes demonstrate that Moreland was not merely a recipient of Hahn’s work but actively engaged with it in practice. Working copies of pseudoisochromatic tests rarely survive with intact annotations, and those linked to identifiable researchers are of particular interest to collectors and institutions concerned with the history of ophthalmic diagnostics.

Together, the two volumes illustrate both sides of a professional relationship: Hahn as creator and Moreland as practitioner. The presentation copy provides the formal context of the exchange, while the working copy evidences practical application. The pairing also reflects the iterative development of Hahn’s tests across different manufacturers, a detail seldom documented outside East Asian ophthalmic circles. As a provenance set, the two volumes offer a compact, self‑contained record of scientific collaboration, suitable for collectors of colour‑vision diagnostics, ophthalmic instruments, and the broader history of colour science.

This material sits naturally within a colour‑science or industrial‑scientific category, where its narrative coherence and named provenance provide strong curatorial value. The combination of an inscribed presentation volume and an actively used working copy is unusual and positions the set as a one‑of‑a‑kind offering within the field.

Condition Report

Presentation copy: Clean and well‑preserved; spiral binding firm; plates bright; slipcase present with minor handling consistent with age.

Working copy: Expected handling from professional use; spiral binding sound; plates intact; contemporary handwritten test notes present; no slipcase