Hair ornament in the form of a butterfly

Single-prong kingfisher-feather hairpin (zan 簪) with butterfly and floral dangles (bu yao 步摇)

Historical period(s)
Qing dynasty, late 19th-early 20th century
Medium
Kingfisher feather, silver, other metal, and stone
Dimensions
H x W x D (overall): 24.5 x 9.5 x 2 cm (9 5/8 x 3 3/4 x 13/16 in)
Geography
China
Credit Line
The Dr. Paul Singer Collection of Chinese Art of the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; a joint gift of the Arthur M. Sackler Foundation, Paul Singer, the AMS Foundation for the Arts, Sciences, and Humanities, and the Children of Arthur M. Sackler
Collection
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
Accession Number
S2011.4
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Jewelry and Ornament
Type

Hairpin

Keywords
butterfly, China, coiled wire, kingfisher, Paul Singer collection, Qing dynasty (1644 - 1911), twisted wire
Provenance

To 1997
Dr. Paul Singer (1904-1997), Summit, New Jersey. [1]

From 1997 to 1999
In the custody of Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Washington, DC [2]

From 1999
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, gift of the Arthur M. Sackler Foundation, Paul Singer, the AMS Foundation for the Arts, Sciences, and Humanities, and the Children of Arthur M. Sackler, accessioned in 2011. [3]

Notes:

[1] See object file.

[2] Between 1997 and 1999, The Dr. Paul Singer Collection of Chinese Art was in the custody of the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Washington DC

[3] See “The Dr. Paul Singer Collection of Chinese Art Gift Agreement” from March 1999, Collections Management Office. The object was formally accessioned into the museum’s permanent collection in 2011. See Acquisition Consideration Form, object file, Collections Management Office.

Previous Owner(s) and Custodian(s)

Dr. Paul Singer 1904-1997
Dr. Carol Master born 1941
Dr. Elizabeth A. Sackler born 1948
Arthur F. Sackler born 1950
Denise Marika born 1955
Arthur M. Sackler Foundation founded 1965
AMS Foundation for the Arts, Sciences, and Humanities founded 1981

Description

Single-prong kingfisher-feather hairpin (zan 簪) with butterfly and floral dangles (bu yao 步摇)

Published References
  • Beverley Jackson. Kingfisher Blue: Treasure of an Ancient Chinese Art. Berkeley and Toronto. .
  • Scientific Research in the Field of Asian Art: Proceedings of the First Forbes Symposium at the Freer Gallery of Art. London. pp. 15-23, fig. 2.
  • , Ellen Chase, Blythe McCarthy. The Textile Speciality Group Postprints: Papers Delivered at the Textile Subgroup Session, a Joint Session with the Objects Speciality Group Concerning Composite Objects. vol. 12 Washington, June 2002. pp. 45-55.
  • Roland Hartman. Kingfisher Feather Jewelry. vol. 10, no. 3 Hong Kong, May - June 1980. pp. 75-81.
Collection Area(s)
Chinese Art
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
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