String of coral, gold and amber beads

Object Details

• Description

  A string consisting of 74 coral, 16 gold, and two amber beads, and an oval gold clasp with repouse floral decoration. There is a stamped inscriptio on th the underside of the clasp and two stamped characters on each of the faceted gold beads.

• Inscriptions

  The underside of the clasp bears a stamped inscription reading Ho-sheng (probably a jeweller's name). On each of the faceted gold beads are two stamped characters, too faint to be deciphered.

• Provenance

  From 1907 to 1919

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from an unidentified owner in 1907 [1]

  From 1920

  Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [2]

  Notes:

  [1] See Reserved Miscellaneous List, R. 6612, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives. According to Curatorial Remark 1 in the object record, there is no record of where this object was purchased.

  [2] The original deed of Charles Lang Freer's gift was signed in 1906. The collection was received in 1920 upon the completion of the Freer Gallery.

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Previous custodian or owner

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919)

• Origin

  China

• Credit Line

  Gift of Charles Lang Freer

• Type

  Jewelry and Ornament

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1910s, 1640s

• Name

  Freer, Charles Lang

• Place

  China

• Topic

  Gold, Charles Lang Freer collection, Art, Chinese Art, Qing dynasty (1644 - 1911)

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Ornaments, Jewelry