Ancestor tablet with dragon

Object Details

• Description

  Rectangular plaque; low relief carving with dragon; notched edges; translucent greenish-white. (Calcification; brown spots; nicked flaws.)

• Provenance

  By 1952

  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]

  1952 to 1964

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

  1964 to 1987

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

  From 1987

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

  Notes:

  [1] When Frank Caro, C. T. Loo’s associate, assumed control of C. T. Loo’s (1880-1957) C. T. Loo, INC. in 1952, he re-inventoried the company’s stock and assigned numbers with “E” prefixes. This object was part of Caro’s inventory. See invoice from Frank Caro Chinese Art to Arthur M. Sackler, August 27, 1964, no. E 5656: “Jade plaque, with incised decoration on both s[i]des, 5th century B. C.,” copy in object file.

  [2] C. T. Loo, INC. was dissolved by the summer of 1953 and Frank Caro began operating 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, but the mode of acquisition is unknown. See invoice cited in note 1.

  [4] See invoice cited in note 1.

  [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

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

• 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

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

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Ornaments, Jewelry