Dagger-axe (ge)

Object Details

• Provenance

  From at least 1949 to 1953

  F. Low-Beer & Co., New York, N.Y., from at least May 1949 [1]

  From 1953

  Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from Fritz Low-Beer (1906-1976) in March 23, 1953 [2]

  Notes:

  [1] See the document confirming the examination of the object and approval by the Regents of the Smithsonian Institution, the Commission of Fine Arts, and Katherine Rhoades, in May and July 1949, copy in object file.

  The location of Fritz Low-Beer’s company is noted as New York.

  The collector and dealer Fritz Low-Beer partnered with Walter Hochstadter in New York under the name of F. Low-Beer & Co. in the 1940s.

  From 1949 he operated independently from Flushing, New York, and subsequently moved to Rome in the early 1950s.

  [2] See Fritz Low-Beer & Co.’s invoice, dated March 23, 1953, where the object is listed as “Bronze weapon decorated with an elephant’s head and a ‘dragon’ Early Chou,” copy in object file.

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Chinese Art (February 18, 1983 to April 1, 1987)

  Chinese Art (June 15, 1982 to September 24, 1982)

  Chinese Art (March 15, 1982 to June 15, 1982)

  Chinese Art (March 9, 1981 to March 12, 1982)

  Chinese Art (January 1, 1963 to March 6, 1981)

  Chinese Bronze, Jade, Marble (March 1, 1957 to January 1, 1963)

  Centennial Exhibition, Galleries 14 and 15 (February 25, 1956 to March 1, 1957)

  Untitled Exhibition, Ancient Chinese Jade and Bronze (August 26, 1955 to October 25, 1955)

  Untitled Exhibition, Ancient Chinese Art, 1955 (October 24, 1955 to February 25, 1956)

  Special Exhibition, Chinese Art (April 20, 1954 to November 16, 1954)

  Untitled Exhibition, Ancient Chinese Art, 1945 (January 9, 1945 to August 20, 1955)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Fritz Low-Beer (1906-1976)

• Origin

  China

• Credit Line

  Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment

• Type

  Weapon and Armament

• Restrictions and Rights

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  BCE 1000s

• Name

  Low-Beer, Fritz

• Place

  China

• Topic

  Bronze, Art, Sculpture, Chinese Art, Shang dynasty (ca. 1600 - ca. 1050 BCE), Metal-work

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Weapons, Armor (protective wear)