Pendant in the form of a dragon with raised uniform curls

Object Details

• Provenance

  1928-1932

  Purportedly discovered in Henan province, Jincun, China [1]

  To 1964

  Frank Caro Chinese Art, New York, NY, method of acquisition unknown [2]

  1964 to 1987

  Arthur M. Sackler, New York, NY, purchased in New York, NY from Frank Caro Chinese Art on August 27, 1964 [3]

  From 1987

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

  Notes:

  [1] Discovery site noted on invoice from Frank Caro Chinese Art to Arthur M. Sackler, August 27, 1964 (see note 2 for full quotation). Several tombs near Chin ts’un (Jincun) in western Henan were discovered in the summer

  of 1928 after heavy rain, when sinkholes began to emerge. Immediately upon discovery, the tombs were heavily scavenged by locals. Only two tombs were systematically excavated (see William Charles White, Tombs

  of Old Lo Yang: A Record of the Construction and Contents of a Group of Royal Tombs at Chin ts’un, Probably Dating to 550 B.C. [Shanghai: Kelly and Walsh Limited, 1934]; and William Charles White, “China’s Cultural Heritage” in Transactions of the Royal Society of Canada 37 [1943]: 151).

  [2] Frank Caro stock number FC 2324: “Archaic jade pendent ‘dragon’; curled tail, spiral motifs on body from Chin ts’un [Jincun]. Eastern Chou [Zhou]. Lt: 2 1/8 ins.,” see invoice from Frank Caro Chinese Art to Arthur M. Sackler, August 27, 1964, copy in object file.

  [3] See invoice cited in note 2.

  [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

• Exhibition History

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

• Previous custodian or owner

  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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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  BCE 0s

• Name

  Frank Caro Chinese Art, Sackler, Arthur M.

• Place

  China

• Topic

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

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Ornaments, Jewelry