Pendant in the form of a stag

Object Details

• Description

  Deer plaque, profile with head turned back; opaque tan and brown/gray. (Many calcified areas; powdery, worn; both legs broken off; ear chipped; crack in center of body. Traces of cinnabar.)

• Provenance

  By 1950 to 1953

  C. T. Loo INC., New York, NY [1]

  1953 to 1961

  C. T. Loo Chinese Art, New York, NY by transfer from C. T. Loo, INC., NY [2]

  1961 to 1964

  Frank Caro Chinese Art, New York, NY, mode of acquisition unknown [3]

  1964 to 1987

  Arthur M. Sackler, New York, NY purchased in New York City from Frank Caro Chinese Art, New York, NY on August 27, 1964 [4]

  From 1987

  Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, gift of Dr. Arthur M. Sackler on September 11, 1987 [5]

  Notes:

  [1] Object published in C. T. Loo, INC. Chinese Archaic Jades, arranged for Norton Gallery of Art exh. cat. (Norton Gallery of Art, January 20 to March 1, 1950), plate 11, no. 3 (ill.)

  [2] C. T. Loo formed C. T. Loo, INC. in 1948, when his company C. T. Loo & Company lost direct trade to China. 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.

  [3] In 1961, Loo and Caro’s agreement ended. C. T. Loo & Cie., Paris, France took control of C. T. Loo Chinese Art, New York’s stock that C. T. Loo had added to the inventory before his death in 1957. Frank Caro then opened Frank Caro Chinese Art. Caro acquired pieces from Loo’s original stock (the mode of acquisition is unknown). See invoice from Frank Caro Chinese Art to Arthur M. Sackler, August 27, 1964, no. E 5704: “Jade deer (Jade Cat. Pl. 11 #3),” copy in object file.

  [4] See note 3.

  [5] 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

  An Exhibition of Chinese Archaic Jades (January 20 to March 1, 1950)

• Previous custodian or owner

  C.T. Loo, INC. (ca. 1948-no later than July 1953)

  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

  Jewelry and Ornament

• Restrictions and Rights

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• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  BCE 0s, BCE 1000s

• Name

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

• Place

  China

• Topic

  Stag, Western Zhou dynasty (ca. 1050 - 771 BCE), Art, Carving, Chinese Art, Nephrite, Jade

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Ornaments, Jewelry