Pendant in the form of a disk with dragons and bird

Object Details

• Previous custodian or owner

  C.T. Loo & Company (1914-1948)

  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)

• Provenance

  By 1939 to 1948

  C. T. Loo & Company, New York, NY [1]

  1948 to 1953

  C. T. Loo, INC. New York, NY by transfer from C. T. Loo & Company, NY [2]

  1953 to 1961

  C. T. Loo Chinese Art, New York, NY by transfer from C. T. Loo, INC., NY [3]

  1961 to 1964

  Frank Caro Chinese Art, New York, NY, mode of acquisition unknown [4]

  1964 to 1987

  Arthur M. Sackler, New York, purchased in New York City from Frank Caro Chinese Art on August 27, 1964 [5]

  1987

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

  Notes:

  [1] In 1939, C. T. Loo, INC., New York lent the object to the Arden Gallery; see 3000 Years of Chinese Jade exh. cat. (New York: Arden Gallery, January 10 – February 11,1939), no. 139.

  [2] 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 (see note 3).

  [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). 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.

  [4] Frank Caro Chinese Art stock number E-5695:

  "Jade bird (Arden Cat. #139) (Wadsworth Museum),” see invoice from Frank Caro Chinese Art to Arthur M. Sackler, August 27, 1964, copy in object file.

  [5] Pursuant to the agreement between 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.

• 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., C.T. Loo Chinese Art, C.T. Loo, INC., C.T. Loo & Company

• Place

  China

• Topic

  Western Zhou dynasty (ca. 1050 - 771 BCE), Art, Animals, Chinese Art, Birds, Dragon

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Ornaments, Jewelry