Ritual wine vessel

Object Details

• Provenance

  1961

  Possibly unidentified sale at Spink & Son Ltd, London [1]

  By 1961-1965

  J. T. Tai & Co., likely purchased at Spink & Son Ltd., London [2]

  1965-1987

  Arthur M. Sackler (1913-1987), purchased from J. T. Tai & Co., New York [3]

  From 1987

  Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, gift of Arthur M. Sackler [4]

  Notes:

  [1] See note 2.

  [2] See object file for copy of J. T. Tai & Co. stock record for stock no. YT-4266, described as “1 Bronze ritual vessel Ho supported on 3 legs with spout, Han Dyn.” The record indicates that the object was purchased at a July 31, 1961 Spink & Son Ltd. auction, but no lot number is indicated. J. T. Tai (1911-1992) was an incredibly important dealer in Chinese antiquities whose influence shaped American collections of Chinese art throughout the second half of the twentieth century. He began his career in China, and in early 1950 he emigrated to New York City with the help of C. T. Loo (1880-1957). Tai established himself as an independent dealer and opened a gallery on Madison Avenue by the autumn of 1950.

  [3] See note 1. The stock record indicates that the object was sold 1/30/65 as “Part 3.” This corresponds with the J. T. Tai & Co. invoice to Dr. Arthur M. Sackler, dated January 30, 1965, with stock no. YT-4266 on “Part 3 – Page 2”; copy of invoice in object file. Dr. Arthur M. Sackler was a physician, medical publisher, pharmaceutical marketer, and collector of Asian art.

  [4] Pursuant to the agreement between 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. This object is part of the Museum’s Arthur M. Sackler Gallery of Art collection.

  Research updated June 29, 2023

• Collection

  Arthur M. Sackler Collection

• Exhibition History

  In Praise of Ancestors: Ritual Objects from China (September 28, 1987 to January 1, 1989)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Spink & Son Ltd. (established 1666)

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

  Dr. Arthur M. Sackler (1913-1987)

• Origin

  China

• Credit Line

  Gift of Arthur M. Sackler

• Type

  Vessel

• Restrictions and Rights

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  BCE 0s

• Name

  Sackler, Arthur M., J. T. Tai & Co., Spink & Son Ltd.

• Place

  China

• Topic

  Bronze, Wine and wine making, Art, Sculpture, Eastern Zhou dynasty (770 - 221 BCE), Chinese Art, Metal-work

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Vessels (containers)