Double vase or champion vessel

Object Details

• Description

  This jade vessel has double barrels supported on a recumbent bearlike creature. This animal on the base is ingeniously carved so that his face appears on one side of the vessel and his haunches appear on the reverse side. A mythical bird, or falconlike, creature spreads highly stylized wings across the front of the cylinders, which are further embellished by an archaistic bronze motif executed in thread relief.

• Provenance

  From at least 1963 to 1968

  Desmond Gure (1905-1970), London, from at least May 1963 [1]

  From 1968 to 1987

  Dr. Arthur M. Sackler (1913-1987), New York, purchased from Desmond Gure on January 10, 1968 [2]

  From 1987

  Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, gift of Arthur M. Sackler on September 11, 1987 [3]

  Notes:

  [1] Gure published the jade in “Some Unusual Early Jades and their Dating,” Transactions of the Oriental Ceramic Society 1960-61 1961-62 vol. 33 (1963), pp. 56-57, pl. 44a-b, with an annotation that the object was “an heirloom previously owned by members of the German and British Royal Families.”

  The same year he lent the jade to an exhibition Celadon Jade at the National Museum in Stockholm in 1963, see Celadon Jade: Finds, Specimen, Scientific Results (Stockholm: The National Museum, May – June 1963), cat. 137.

  See also typed, undated inventory of Desmond Gure’s collection, “List 2 – Objects Exhibited at Stockholm 1963,” no. 191: “A pale greenish white jade vessel formed as two cylinders – 3 9/16 in high,” copy in object file.

  [2] According to information provided by Arthur M. Sackler Foundation in October 2009, Arthur M. Sackler purchased the jade as part of Desmond Gure’s jade collection on January 10, 1968.

  See “Arthur M. Sackler Gift: Chinese Jades: Summary,” where the object is listed under Sackler Collection no. J-1311 and identified as S1987.723.

  [3] 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

  America's Smithsonian (February 9 to August 26, 1997)

  The Arts of China (November 18, 1990 to September 7, 2014)

  Monsters, Myths and Minerals (September 28, 1987 to November 26, 1995)

  Chinese Jade Throughout the Ages (May 1 to June 22, 1975)

  Celadon, Jade: Finds, Specimen, Scientific Results (May to June 1963)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Desmond Gure (1905-1970)

  Dr. Arthur M. Sackler (1913-1987)

• Origin

  China

• Credit Line

  Gift of Arthur M. Sackler

• Type

  Vessel

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1590s, 1300s

• Name

  Sackler, Arthur M., Gure, Desmond

• Place

  China

• Topic

  Art, Animals, Chinese Art, Birds, Ming dynasty (1368 - 1644)

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Vessels (containers)