Pendant in the form of a bird

Object Details

• Provenance

  As early as 1928

  Likely found at archeological site in Anyang, Honan Province, China [1]

  To 1948

  Zhang Naiji (1899–1948), Shanghai, China then New York, NY [2]

  1948 to early 1950s

  Zhang Mei Chien (1901–c.1955), New York, NY inherited upon her husband’s death [3]

  Possibly around 1954 to 1961

  C. T. Loo Chinese Art, New York, NY possibly purchased from Zhang Mei Chien in New York, NY in the early 1950s [4]

  Possibly from 1961 to 1964

  Frank Caro Chinese Art, New York, NY, mode of acquisition unknown [5]

  Possibly to late 1950s

  J. T. Tai & Company, New York, NY possibly purchased from Zhang Mei Chien in New York, NY during July 1954 [6]

  To 1997

  Dr. Paul Singer, Summit, NJ purchased from J. T. Tai & Company, C. T. Loo & Company, or Frank Caro Chinese Art in New York [7]

  1997 to 1999

  In the custody of Arthur M. Sackler Gallery upon the death of Paul Singer in January 1997 and a loan agreement between the Executors of the Singer Estate and the Gallery in February 1997 [8]

  From 1999

  Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, gift of the Arthur M. Sackler Foundation, Paul Singer, the AMS Foundation for the Arts, Sciences, and Humanities, and the Children of Dr. Arthur M. Sackler [9]

  Notes

  [1] Object published in Archaic Chinese Jades: Special Exhibition (Philadelphia: The University Museum, February 1940), cat. 211. Catalogue entry notes discovery site. Excavations at Anyang began in 1928.

  [2] Zhang Naiji (also known as N.C. Chang) was a businessman, born to a prestigious family in Zhejiang that made their wealth in the silk and salt industries. He collected ancient Chinese art objects and Chinese coins. Zhang amassed his collection whilst living in Shanghai, before leaving for America in 1938, and acquired his objects onsite of archeological excavations (see: Alfred Salmony, Chinese Jade through the Wei Dynasty. New York: The Ronald Press Company, 1963: 115.).

  Zhang lent his collection anonymously to Archaic Chinese Jades: Special Exhibition. We know his identity through letters housed in the Department of Archives, The University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archeology and Anthropology, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (see: letter, C. T. Loo to Horace Jayne, 25 October 1939 and letter, from C. T. Loo to Horace Jayne, 16 December 1939), copies in FǀS COM provenance files. The exhibition was entirely organized by C. T. Loo & Company, New York. Letters exchanged between C. T. Loo and the director of The University Museum, Mr. Horace H.F. Jayne, reveal that Zhang Naiji owned the objects and C. T. Loo & Company had the collection on consignment (see: letter, from C. T. Loo to Horace Jayne, 28 May 1939 and letter, from C. T. Loo to Horace Jayne, 23 October 1940, copies on COM provenance files). C. T. Loo & Company kept the jade collection on consignment from 1940 through Zhang’s death in 1948, inventorying the pieces with a prefix “J” and labeling each item as “Chang Collection.”

  [3] Zhang Mei Chien, Zhang Naiji’s wife, assumed ownership upon his death in 1948. She sold several pieces from her husband’s collection to both C. T. Loo & Company (which later operated as Frank Caro Chinese Art) and J. T. Tai & Company. She sold to J. T. Tai & Company in July 1954 (for example, see J. T. Tai & Company Stock Record YT 886 and YT 895, copies in COM provenance files). It is unclear when C. T. Loo Chinese Art purchased items from Zhang Mei Chien. C. T. Loo Chinese Art was led by Frank Caro, the famed dealer C. T. Loo’s associate.

  [4] See note 3. On September 1, 1952, C. T. Loo’s associate, 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.

  [5] 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) and also featured jades with a Zhang provenance in his stock.

  [6] See note 3. J. T. Tai & Company sold several jades with Zhang provenance to Dr. Paul Singer.

  In Paul Singer’s memoirs (see: Reminiscences of a Transient Custodian,” ms. Paul Singer Papers, FǀS Archives, p.83-84), singer notes that he acquired 17 “of the Chiang Nai-chi jades, some of which Mr. Chang lent to the 1935-1936 International Exhibition of Chinese Art.” It is likely that S2012.9.278 was one of those 17 jades.

  [7] Dr. Paul Singer had this object in his collection in the 1980s, when writing his memoirs (see note 5).

  The collection of Chinese art and antiquities assembled by Paul Singer over time was purchased by him on behalf of Dr. Arthur M. Sackler, Jullian Sackler, The Arthur M. Sackler Foundation, the AMS Foundation for the Arts, Sciences, and Humanities and was later transferred to the children of Dr. Arthur M. Sackler.

  [8] The Dr. Paul Singer Collection of Chinese Art came into the custody of the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, upon the death of Paul Singer in January 1997 and the loan agreement between the Executors of the Singer Estate and the Gallery in February 1997.

  [9] See “The Dr. Paul Singer Collection of Chinese Art Gift Agreement,” March 1999, FǀS COM Office. The object was formally accessioned into the museum collection in 2012.

• Collection

  Arthur M. Sackler Collection

• Exhibition History

  Archaic Chinese Jades, Special Exhibition (February 1940)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Zhang Naiji 張乃驥 (1899-1948)

  Zhang Mei Chien (1900-1998)

  C.T. Loo Chinese Art (1953-1961)

  Frank Caro Chinese Art (1962-1980)

  J. T. Tai & Co. (established in 1950)

  Dr. Paul Singer (1904-1997)

• Origin

  China

• Credit Line

  The Dr. Paul Singer Collection of Chinese Art of the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; a joint gift of the Arthur M. Sackler Foundation, Paul Singer, the AMS Foundation for the Arts, Sciences, and Humanities, and the Children 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, BCE 1000s

• Name

  Frank Caro Chinese Art, Singer, Paul, C.T. Loo Chinese Art, Zhang, Naiji, J. T. Tai & Co., Zhang, Chien Mei

• Place

  China

• Topic

  Western Zhou dynasty (ca. 1050 - 771 BCE), Art, The Dr. Paul Singer Collection of Chinese Art of the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Animals, Chinese Art, Nephrite, Birds, Jade

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Ornaments, Jewelry