Ritual wine container (lei) with dragons

Object Details

• Provenance

  By 1958-?

  C. T. Loo Chinese Art, New York, method of acquisition unknown [1]

  Likely 1961-1964 

  Frank Caro Chinese Art, New York, by transfer from C. T. Loo Chinese Art around 1961 [2]

  Possibly by 1964-1987

  Arthur M. Sackler (1913-1987), purchased from Frank Caro Chinese Art, New York [3]

  From 1987

  Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, gift of Arthur M. Sackler [4]

  Notes:

  [1] See Wadsworth Atheneum, “4000 Years of Chinese Art” [exhibition catalog] (Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford, CT, October 17-November 30, 1958), cat. no. 12 (no illustration). C. T. Loo (1880-1957) was one of the most prominent and well-known figures in the world of Chinese art in the first half of the twentieth century. Loo owned and operated eponymous galleries in New York and Paris, where he offered Chinese, Indian, and South Asian antiquities for study and sale. See also note 2.

  [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. About 1950, Caro assigned new inventory numbers to C. T. Loo & Company’s stock. See also note 1.

  [3] See object file for copy of Sackler Foundation index list, indicating that Frank Caro Chinese Art sold stock no. B-20 to Dr. Arthur M. Sackler on August 26, 1964. The Frank Caro Chinese Art invoices include August 26, 1964, but the details have been redacted. Dr. Arthur M. Sackler was a physician, medical publisher, pharmaceutical marketer, and collector of Asian art.

  [4] 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.

  Research updated May 25, 2023

• Collection

  Arthur M. Sackler Collection

• Exhibition History

  In Praise of Ancestors: Ritual Objects from China (September 28, 1987 to January 1, 1989)

• Previous custodian or owner

  C.T. Loo Chinese Art (1953-1961)

  Frank Caro Chinese Art (1962-1980)

  Dr. Arthur M. Sackler (1913-1987)

• Origin

  China

• Credit Line

  Gift of Arthur M. Sackler

• Type

  Vessel

• Restrictions and Rights

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  BCE 0s

• Name

  Frank Caro Chinese Art, Sackler, Arthur M., C.T. Loo Chinese Art

• Place

  China

• Topic

  Bronze, Wine and wine making, Art, Sculpture, Chinese Art, Spring and Autumn period (770 - 476 BCE), Dragon, Metal-work

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Vessels (containers)