Tray

Round, dark brown lacquer dish with a flat center, slightly concave rim and a low foot ring. The center has a raised design consisting of a flowering tree, bird and butterfly. The inner rim has a repeating, raised floral pattern around it. The raised areas are dark brown with distinctive streaks of red lacquer (vermillion). The rim and the foot ring have brass metal bands attached to them. A red lacquer signature seal is affixed to the reverse side.

Historical period(s)
Edo period, 18th century
Medium
Lacquer on wood with brass
Dimensions
H x W x D: 3.3 x 36.2 x 36.2 cm (1 5/16 x 14 1/4 x 14 1/4 in)
Geography
Japan, Okinawa prefecture
Credit Line
Gift of The Arthur M. Sackler Foundation
Collection
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
Accession Number
S1997.37
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Lacquer, Vessel
Type

Tray

Keywords
bird, butterfly, camellia, Edo period (1615 - 1868), Japan, tree
Provenance

?-1972
Oriental House, Ltd., Tokyo, Japan method of acquisition unknown [1]

1972-1987
Arthur M. Sackler (1913-1987), purchased from Oriental House, Ltd. [2]

1987-1996
Owned jointly by Arthur M. Sackler Collections Trust (Estate of Arthur M. Sackler, New York, NY and the Arthur M. Sackler Foundation), New York, NY [3]

1997
Arthur M. Sackler Foundation, New York, NY, method of acquisition unknown [4]

From 1997
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, gift of Arthur M. Sackler Foundation [5]

Notes:
[1] Oriental House Limited was a business located in Tokyo, Japan that was jointly operated by Sammy Yu-kuan Lee 李汝寬 (1902-2011) and David Techun Wang (1905-2005). It is unclear if they jointly owned the company, but their joint ownership of Sammy Y. Lee & Wangs Company, Ltd. in Hong Kong is well established. While Oriental House Limited typically specialized in the sale of Chinese home goods, it occasionally sold antiquities as well. The Hong Kong business specialized in the sale of Chinese antiquities and the production of furniture. When Arthur M. Sackler purchased this object (see note 2), he issued payment to "Oriental House, Ltd. Sammy Lee or David Te-chun Wang," see record of payment, "Lacquerware Collection Associated Accession Numbers -- Purchased from the Oriental House, Ltd."

[2] See "Agreement" signed by Sammy Yu Kuan Lee on July 17, 1972, and Arthur M. Sackler on September 28, 1972, copy in object file. The document notes that Lee agreed to sell Sacker 100 lacquer objects and that Sackler will pay for the collection in one hundred installments, beginning on August 1, 1972. The document also notes: "The objects are now stored or [are] being exhibited in different countries such as Japan, Hong Kong, France, Germany, and United Kingdom. Mr. Lee or his representative will deliver too Dr. Sackler or his representative the objects as soon as possible within the payment period. The first payment was issued on September 28, 1972, and the last on November 21, 1979. It seems that Arthur M. Sackler received this object from Lee or his representative in 1974; the Sackler collection number assigned to the object was 74.5.16.

[3] The Arthur M. Sackler Foundation owned 7.92% of the object after a 1996 settlement between the Arthur M. Sackler Estate and the Arthur M. Sackler Foundation.

[4] In 1997, the Arthur M. Sackler Foundation presented this to the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery as a gift independent from the Arthur M. Sackler Estate. See note 5

[5] See deed of gift, signed July 19, 1997, copy in accession file.

Research completed November 17, 2022.

Previous Owner(s) and Custodian(s)

The Arthur M. Sackler Collections Trust
Sammy Yu Kuan Lee
Oriental House LTD
Dr. Arthur M. Sackler 1913-1987
Arthur M. Sackler Foundation founded 1965

Description

Round, dark brown lacquer dish with a flat center, slightly concave rim and a low foot ring. The center has a raised design consisting of a flowering tree, bird and butterfly. The inner rim has a repeating, raised floral pattern around it. The raised areas are dark brown with distinctive streaks of red lacquer (vermillion). The rim and the foot ring have brass metal bands attached to them. A red lacquer signature seal is affixed to the reverse side.

Published References
  • Lee Yu-kuan. Oriental Lacquer Art., 1st ed. New York. .
Collection Area(s)
Japanese Art
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
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