Pendant in the form of an archer’s ring with incised linked curls

Object Details

• Provenance

  1928-1932

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

  To 1964

  Frank Caro Chinese Art, New York, NY, mode and source of acquisition unknown [2]

  1964 to 1987

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

  From 1987

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

  Notes:

  [1] Discovery site noted as Chin ts’un [Jincun] on invoice from Frank Caro Chinese Art to Arthur M. Sackler, 27 August 1964, copy located in accession file. 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] See invoice from Frank Caro Chinese Art to Arthur M. Sackler, 27 August 1964, describes this object as FC 2395: “Archaic jade pendant. Hook shaped pick, finely carved Translucent. From Chin ts’un [Jincun]. Eastern Chou [Zhou]. Lt: 2 5/8 ins.” A Glass negative of image located at the C. T. Loo and Frank Caro Archive, Musée Guimet, Paris, #127.

  Frank Caro Chinese Art, owned by Frank Caro, opened sometime in 1961. Frank Caro had been the business associated of C. T. Loo, the famed Chinese art dealer who operated C. T. Loo and Company and then C. T. Loo, INC.,

  through 1951. On September 1, 1952, Frank Caro (1904–1980) took over daily operations of the New York business, operating at 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. Although Loo died in 1947, the agreement continued to 1961. Upon the conclusion of their agreement, Frank Caro opened Frank Caro Chinese Art, New York. Objects that Frank Caro acquired while operating his own business were typically inventoried with an “FC” stock number; it is likely that Caro acquired this object after 1961, when he became an independent dealer.

  [3] Arthur M. Sackler purchased this jade from Frank Caro Chinese Art on August 27, 1964, see note 3.

  [4] 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.

• 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

  Jincun, Probably Henan province, 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

  Frank Caro Chinese Art, Sackler, Arthur M.

• Place

  China, Jincun, Henan province

• Topic

  Art, Carving, Chinese Art, Pendant, Western Han dynasty (206 BCE - 9 CE), Nephrite, Jade

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Ornaments, Jewelry