Finial in the form of a bird

Historical period(s)
Anyang period, Late Shang dynasty, ca. 1300-1050 BCE
Medium
Jade (nephrite)
Dimensions
H x W x D: 4.7 x 3.5 x 0.9 cm (1 7/8 x 1 3/8 x 3/8 in)
Geography
China, Probably Henan province, Anyang
Credit Line
Gift of Arthur M. Sackler
Collection
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
Accession Number
S1987.667
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Jade, Jewelry and Ornament
Type

Finial

Keywords
Anyang period (ca. 1300 - ca. 1050 BCE), bird, China
Provenance

By 1949 to 1953
C. T. Loo, INC., New York, NY [1]

1953 to 1961
C. T. Loo Chinese Art, New York, NY by transfer from C. T. Loo, INC. [2]

1962 to 1964
Frank Caro Chinese Art, New York, NY by transfer from C. T. Loo Chinese Art [3]

1964 to 1987
Arthur M. Sackler, New York, purchased in New York City from Frank Caro Chinese Art on August 27, 1964 [3]

From 1987
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, gift of Arthur M. Sackler on September 11, 1987 [4]

Notes:

[1] Object published in C. T. Loo, INC. Chinese Archaic Jades, arranged for Norton Gallery of Art exh. cat. (Norton Gallery of Art, January 20 to March 1, 1950), plate XXXIII, no. 1.

[2] On September 1, 1952, C. T. Loo’s associate, Frank Caro (1904-1980) took over daily operations of the New York business. C. T. Loo, INC. was dissolved by the summer of 1953 and Caro operated as C. T. Loo Chinese Art. Loo continued to play a large role in the business, as he and Caro struck a deal in which profits made on Loo’s stock would be evenly divided and Loo would maintain the lease and rental payments on the company’s gallery space. Caro assigned new inventory numbers to C. T. Loo & Company’s stock, assigning numbers with an “E” prefix. This object was included in that inventory process (see note 3).

[3] In 1961, Loo and Caro’s agreement ended. C. T. Loo & Cie., Paris, France took control of C. T. Loo Chinese Art, New York’s stock that C. T. Loo had added to the inventory before his death in 1957. Frank Caro then opened Frank Caro Chinese Art. Caro acquired pieces from Loo’s original stock (the mode of acquisition is unknown). Frank Caro Chinese Art stock no. E 5701, “Greenish jade pendent. (Jade Cat. Pl 33 #1), see invoice from Frank Caro Chinese Art to Arthur M. Sackler, August 27, 1964, copy in object file.

[4] See Frank Caro's invoice cited in note 3.

[5] Pursuant to the agreement between Arthur M. Sackler and the Smithsonian Institution, dated July 28, 1982, legal title of the donated objects was transferred to the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery on September 11, 1987.

Previous Owner(s) and Custodian(s)

Dr. Arthur M. Sackler 1913-1987
C.T. Loo, INC. ca. 1948-no later than July 1953
C.T. Loo Chinese Art 1953-1961
Frank Caro Chinese Art 1962-1980

Published References
  • J. Keith Wilson, Jingmin Zhang. Jades for Life and Death. .
  • C.T. Loo & Company, (Introduction) Lindsay Hughes Cooper. An Exhibition of Archaic Chinese Jades. Exh. cat. New York. pl. 33, 1.
Collection Area(s)
Chinese Art
Web Resources
Jades for Life and Death
Google Cultural Institute
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