Oracle bone fragment, inscribed

Detail of a pattern
Image 1 of 1
IIIF

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At A Glance

  • Period

    ca. 1250-1050 BCE
  • Geography

    Anyang, probably Henan province, China
  • Material

    Bone
  • Dimension

    H x W x D: 2.2 × 3 × 0.6 cm (7/8 × 1 3/16 × 1/4 in)
  • Accession Number

    S2012.9.449
  • EDAN ID

    edanmdm:fsg_S2012.9.449

Object Details

  • Provenance

    From 1930s to ?
    Fritz Bilfinger, purchased in China in the 1930s. [1]
    From ? to 1997
    Dr. Paul Singer (1904-1997), Summit, New Jersey, purchased from Fritz Bilfinger. [2]
    From 1997 to 1999
    In the custody of Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Washington, DC [3]
    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. [4]
    Notes:
    [1] According to Qi Wenxin, a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of History, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Beijing, “Singer acquired the oracle bones from Fritz Bilfinger, a Swiss citizen who was a representative of the Aluminum Company of Canada, while traveling in the Far East. Bilfinger purchased the oracle bones in China in the 1930s.” See “Singer Chinese Oracle Bones” document dated September 20, 2002 in the object record.
    [2] See note 1.
    [3] Between 1997 and 1999, The Dr. Paul Singer Collection of Chinese Art was in the custody of the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Washington DC
    [4] See “The Dr. Paul Singer Collection of Chinese Art Gift Agreement” from March 1999, Collections Management Office. The object was formally accessioned into the museum’s permanent collection in 2012. See Acquisition Consideration Form, object file, Collections Management Office.
  • Collection

    Arthur M. Sackler Collection
  • Exhibition History

    Anyang: China's Ancient City of Kings (February 25, 2023 to April 28, 2024)
  • Previous custodian or owner

    Dr. and Mrs. Fritz Bilfinger
    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

    Ceremonial Object
  • Restrictions and Rights

    Usage Conditions Apply

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