string(21) "edanmdm:fsg_S1987.702" Dagger-axe (ge 戈), fragment reworked - National Museum of Asian Art
Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art National Museum of Asian Art
Toggle Menu Search

Site Search

The Collections and Archives

Search The Collections

Dagger-axe (ge 戈), fragment reworked

Detail of a pattern
Image 1 of 2
IIIF

Terms of Use

Usage Conditions Apply

At A Glance

  • Period

    ca. 2000-ca. 1400 BCE

  • Geography

    probably Henan province, China

  • Material

    Jade (nephrite)

  • Dimension

    H x W x D: 7.2 x 29.7 x 0.9 cm (2 13/16 x 11 11/16 x 3/8 in)

  • Accession Number

    S1987.702

  • EDAN ID

    edanmdm:fsg_S1987.702

Object Details

  • Description

    Blade, pointed and double-edged, slightly curved; slight ridges in center; pierced; notches in one side; semi-translucent marbled bluish/tan. (Some calcification; interior cracks–brown; pit in one side; minor nicks.)

  • Provenance

    To 1959
    Diedrich Abbes (1866-1959), Greenwich, Connecticut [1]
    1959 to 1987
    Arthur M. Sackler, New York, purchased from the estate of Diedrich Abbes on July 10, 1959 through Frank Caro, C. T. Loo Chinese Art, New York [2]
    From 1987
    Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, gift of Dr. Arthur M. Sackler in 1987 [3]
    Notes:
    [1] See note on Arthur M. Sackler, M.D. letterhead acknowledging the "purchase and receipt of 17 pieces of stone carvings of the Shang, Yin-Chou and Chou periods from the Dietrich Abbes collection. The price in full, exclusive of commission, will be paid as indicated by this note in two installments," copy in object file.
    [2] See note 1. For Frank Caro's involvement, see: letter to Frank Caro from Arnold J. Bai of the law firm Goldstein and Peck, Bridgeport Connecticut, September 28, 1960, copy in object file. The letter asks Frank Caro to have (presumably) his client, Arthur M. Sackler, to send the final payment for the Diedrich Abbes Collection of jades to the law firm. Goldstein and Peck mistakenly identify Mr. Caro's business as C. T. Loo Company, when it was called C. T. Loo Chinese Art.
    [3] Pursuant to the agreement between Dr. 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.

  • 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

    Diedrich Abbes (1866-1959)
    Dr. Arthur M. Sackler (1913-1987)

  • Origin

    probably Henan province, China

  • Culture

    Erlitou culture, ca. 2000-1600 BCE

  • Credit Line

    Gift of Arthur M. Sackler

  • Type

    Ceremonial Object

  • 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

  • 1050 Independence Ave. SW
    Washington, DC 20013
    202.633.1000

© 2024 Smithsonian Institution