Finial in the form of a bird with dragon

Object Details

• Description

  A hole in the foot may indicate that this small sculptural object was fixed in a stand to serve as a statuette. It could also have been used as a pendant, especially since there is a bore-hole in the lower edge of the beak. The representation is that of a bird of prey, possibly an owl. Its head is surmounted by a kuei [kui] 夔 dragon, which assumes a protective position. A cowry shell is engraved below the eye. (Streaks of creamy calcification; deposits; end roughened, pitted.)

• Provenance

  To 1959

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

  [1]

  From 1963 to 1987

  Arthur M. Sackler, New York, purchased from the Bahr Collection in 1963 [2]

  From 1987

  Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, gift of Dr. Arthur M. Sackler on September 11, 1987 [3]

  Notes:

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

  [2] See #354:

  "Bird and Tiger Grey-whtie-black," on list provided by the Arthur M. Sackler Foundation, October 9, 2009, copy in object file.

  [3] 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

• Exhibition History

  The Arts of China (November 18, 1990 to September 7, 2014)

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

• 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

  Jewelry and Ornament

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1900s, 1990s

• Name

  Sackler, Arthur M., Bahr, Abel William

• Place

  China

• Topic

  Art, Animals, Carving, Chinese Art, Anyang period, Late Shang dynasty (ca. 1300 - 1050 BCE), Nephrite, Birds, Forgery, Jade, Dragon

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Ornaments, Jewelry