Pendant in the form of a ring with incised linked curls

Object Details

• Provenance

  1931 to 1932

  Likely discovered in tomb located in Shouxian, Anhwei Province, China [1]

  To 1948

  Zhang Naiji (1899–1948), Shanghai, China then New York, NY [2]

  1948 to 1954

  Zhang Mei Chien (1901–c.1955), New York, NY inherited upon her husband’s death [3]

  1954 to 1963

  J. T. Tai & Company, New York, NY purchased from ZHANG Mei Chien in July 1954 in New York, NY [4]

  1963 to 1987

  Dr. Arthur M. Sackler, New York, NY purchased from J. T. Tai & Company on May 15, 1963 in New York, NY [5]

  From 1987

  Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, gift of Dr. Arthur M. Sackler on September 11, 1987 [6]

  Notes:

  [1] Object published in Archaic Chinese Jades: Special Exhibition (Philadelphia: The University Museum, February 1940), cat. 138. Catalogue entry notes discovery site as Shou-hsien (now known as Shouxian), where tombs were exposed between 1931 and 1932. During this period the tombs were never properly excavated.

  [2] Zhang Naiji (also known as N.C. Chang) was a businessman, born to a prestigious family in Zhejiang that made their wealth in the silk and salt industries. He collected ancient Chinese art objects and Chinese coins. Zhang amassed his collection whilst living in Shanghai, before leaving for America in 1938, and acquired his objects onsite of archeological excavations (see: Alfred Salmony, Chinese Jade through the Wei Dynasty. New York: The Ronald Press Company, 1963: 115.).

  Zhang lent his collection anonymously to Archaic Chinese Jades: Special Exhibition. We know his identity through letters housed in the Department of Archives, The University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archeology and Anthropology, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (see: letter, C. T. Loo to Horace Jayne, 25 October 1939 and letter, from C. T. Loo to Horace Jayne, 16 December 1939), copies in FǀS COM provenance files. The exhibition was entirely organized by C. T. Loo & Company, New York. Letters exchanged between C. T. Loo and the director of The University Museum, Mr. Horace H.F. Jayne, reveal that Zhang Naiji owned the objects and C. T. Loo & Company had the collection on consignment (see: letter, from C. T. Loo to Horace Jayne, 28 May 1939 and letter, from C. T. Loo to Horace Jayne, 23 October 1940, copies on COM provenance files). C. T. Loo & Company kept the jade collection on consignment from 1940 through Zhang’s death in 1948, inventorying the pieces with a prefix “J” and labeling each item as “Chang Collection.”

  [3] Zhang Mei Chien, Zhang Naiji’s wife, assumed ownership upon his death in 1948. She sold several pieces from her husband’s collection to J. T. Tai & Company in July 1954 (for example, see J. T. Tai & Company Stock Record YT 886 and YT 895, copies in COM provenance files).

  [4] J. T. Tai & Company, New York stock record YT 603, "1 jade piece," see invoice from J. T. Tai & Company to Arthur M. Sackler, 5/15/1963, copy in accession file and F|S COM provenance files.

  [5] See note 4.

  [6] 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)

  Archaic Chinese Jades, Special Exhibition (February 1940)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Zhang Naiji 張乃驥 (1899-1948)

  Zhang Mei Chien (1900-1998)

  J. T. Tai & Co. (established in 1950)

  Dr. Arthur M. Sackler (1913-1987)

• Origin

  Shou xian, probably Henan province, Jincun, 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

  BCE 0s

• Name

  Sackler, Arthur M., Zhang, Naiji, J. T. Tai & Co., Zhang, Chien Mei

• Place

  China, Shou xian, Jincun, Henan province

• Topic

  Art, Eastern Zhou dynasty (770 - 221 BCE), Carving, Chinese Art, Nephrite, Jade, Warring States period (475 - 221 BCE)

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Ornaments, Jewelry