Knife pendant in the form of a fish

Object Details

• Provenance

  From at least 1962 to 1997

  Paul Singer (1904-1997), Summit, New Jersey, from at least 1962 [1]

  From 1997

  Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, bequeathed by Paul Singer [2]

  Notes:

  [1] Paul Singer included the jade in an exhibition of his collection in 1962, see Animal Forms in Chinese Art, exh. cat. (New York: Stated Island Museum, September 23 - November 4, 1962), cat. 13. The collection of Chinese art and antiquities assembled by Paul Singer over time was purchased by him on behalf of Dr. Arthur M. Sackler, The Arthur M. Sackler Foundation, the AMS Foundation for the Arts, Sciences and Humanities, and later transferred to the children of Dr. Arthur M. Sackler.

  [2] Upon Paul Singer’s death in January 1997, his collection was transferred to the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery by order of the Executors of the Estate under a loan agreement signed on February 1997. Shortly thereafter, the Sackler Gallery was vested with full ownership and title to the collection in full agreement by the Sackler Foundations and Sackler family members. The formal accession of the Singer collection was completed in 2012.

• Collection

  Arthur M. Sackler Collection

• Exhibition History

  Anyang: China's Ancient City of Kings (February 25, 2023 to April 28, 2024)

  One Man’s Search for Ancient China: The Paul Singer Collection (January 19 to July 7, 2013)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Dr. Paul Singer (1904-1997)

• Origin

  Anyang, probably Henan province, 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

  There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.

  The information presented on this website may be revised and updated at any time as ongoing research progresses or as otherwise warranted. Pending any such revisions and updates, information on this site may be incomplete or inaccurate or may contain typographical errors. Neither the Smithsonian nor its regents, officers, employees, or agents make any representations about the accuracy, reliability, completeness, or timeliness of the information on the site. Use this site and the information provided on it subject to your own judgment. The National Museum of Asian Art welcomes information that would augment or clarify the ownership history of objects in their collections.

Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  BCE 1000s

• Name

  Singer, Paul

• Place

  China, Henan province, Anyang

• Topic

  Art, The Dr. Paul Singer Collection of Chinese Art of the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Chinese Art, Fishes, Anyang period, Late Shang dynasty (ca. 1300 - 1050 BCE), Nephrite, Jade

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Ornaments, Jewelry