Disk (bi) with raised uniform curls arranged in a grid and masks

Object Details

• Description

  Pale gray green with altered patches and earth accretions; cracked. Decorated on both faces a variation of more common version. Wide outer border: three frontal animal masks with ribbon like extensions on either side and interweaving with those issuing from masks.

• Provenance

  To 1959

  Abel William Bahr (1877-1959), Shanghai, China; London, England; Montreal, Canada; New York, NY; and Ridgefield, Connecticut [1]

  From 1959 to 1963

  Edna Bahr (1907-1986) by inheritance upon the death of Abel William Bahr [2]

  From 1963 to 1987

  Dr. Arthur M. Sackler, New York, NY, purchased from the Bahr Collection in 1963 [3]

  From 1987

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

  Notes:

  [1] According to information provided by the Arthur M. Sackler Foundation, October 9, 2009.

  [2] Edna Bahr inherited upon the death of her father, Abel William Bahr. Edna Bahr divided the collection, making gifts to museums and selling to private collectors. She sold several pieces to Arthur M. Sackler in 1963.

  [3] See #121: "Disk. Green with tan and brown stains. Surface has outer band of four taotie with double bodies; inner band of hexagonal dots in relief with spirals engraved on each one. Old surface imperfections," on list provided by the Arthur M. Sackler Foundation, October 9, 2009, copy in object file.

  [4] Pursuant to the agreement between Dr. 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.

• Collection

  Arthur M. Sackler Collection

• Previous custodian or owner

  Abel William Bahr (1877-1959)

  Dr. Arthur M. Sackler (1913-1987)

• Origin

  China

• Credit Line

  Gift of Arthur M. Sackler

• Type

  Ceremonial Object

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  BCE 0s

• Name

  Sackler, Arthur M., Bahr, Abel William

• Place

  China

• Topic

  Art, Chinese Art, Western Han dynasty (206 BCE - 9 CE), Nephrite, Jade, Dragon

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Ceremonial objects