String anchor for a se (zither-like instrument)

Historical period(s)
Eastern Zhou dynasty, 480-221 BCE
Medium
Bronze
Dimensions
H x W: 5.4 x 4.3 cm (2 1/8 x 1 11/16 in)
Geography
China
Credit Line
Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art Collection
Accession Number
F1979.14
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Musical Instrument
Type

Zither string anchor (se)

Keywords
Carl Whiting Bishop collection, China, Eastern Zhou dynasty (770 - 221 BCE)
Provenance

Probably unearthed near the site of the ancient city of Shouchun (in the modern province of Anhui). [1]

To 1924
Orvar Karlbeck. [2]

From 1924
Freer Gallery of Art, purchased by Carl Whiting Bishop from Orvar Karlbeck. [3]

Notes:

[1] According to Bishop’s unpublished report, Archaeological Research in China, 1924-34, Mr. Karlbeck had acquired nearly all the objects near the site of the ancient city of Shouchun (in the modern province of Anhui). See Curatorial Remark 2 in the object record.

[2] See note 1.

[3] Curatorial Remark 2 and 3 in the object record. The object was transferred from the Freer Study Collection (Bishop Collection) to the permanent collection in August 8, 1974. Also see Freer Gallery of Art Purchase List after 1920 file, Collections Management Office. For further information also refer to “Part IV, List 2: A Complete List of Objects in the Bishop Collection” from Sarah L. Newmeyer’s Interim Report (1976), copy in the Carl Whiting Bishop Collection file, Collections Management Office.

Previous Owner(s) and Custodian(s)

Orvar Karlbeck 1879-1967

Collection Area(s)
Chinese Art
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
CC0 - Creative Commons (CC0 1.0)

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