Tubular head ornament

Object Details

• Description

  Armlet (?) irregular cylinder; flared at one end, one side elongated; undecorated; translucent yellow-green. (Interior cracks; chips one end.)

• 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 & Company [2]

  1961 to 1964

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

  1964 to 1987

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

  From 1987

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

  Notes:

  [1] Frank Caro Chinese Art sold this object to Arthur M. Sackler on August 27, 1964 (see note 3) and the inventory assigned to this object, E 5836 reveals that it was part of the C. T. Loo, INC. inventory. 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. Caro assigned new inventory numbers to C. T. Loo & Company’s stock, assigning numbers with an “E” prefix. This object was included in that inventory process

  [2] See note 1.

  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). Frank Caro Chinese Art stock no. E 5790, "Jade pendent (Jade Cat. Pl. 44 #2)," see invoice from Frank Caro Chinese Art to Arthur M. Sackler, August 27, 1964, copy in object file.

  [3] Frank Caro Chinese Art inventory number E 5836: “Jade sleeve weight, greenish jade with streaks Ht. 5 7-8 ins. Diam 3 ¾ ins. Oval shape and slightly conical towards the top. Late Chou,” see invoice from Frank Caro Chinese Art to Arthur M. Sackler, August 27, 1964, 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

  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

• Culture

  Hongshan culture, ca. 3800-ca. 2700 BCE

• 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

  2000s, 1900s

• Name

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

• Place

  China

• Topic

  Art, Late Neolithic period (ca. 5000 - ca. 1700 BCE), Chinese Art, Forgery

• Culture

  Chinese, Hongshan culture

• Object Type

  Ornaments, Jewelry