Object: Circular pendant with coiled dragon F1939.7

Classification: Jewelry and Ornament

Historical period(s): Shang dynasty, ca. 12th-11th century BCE

Object Date: ca. 12th-11th century BCE

Medium: Jade (nephrite)

Dimension(s): Diam x D: 4.3 x 0.6 cm (1 11/16 x 1/4 in)

Origin: China

Credit Line: Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment

Collection: Freer Gallery of Art Collection

Accession Number: F1939.7

Provenance: As early as 1928
Reportedly discovered at archeological site in Anyang, Honan Province, China [1]

To 1939
Zhang Naiji (1899‑1948),Shanghai, China then New York, NY [2]

From 1939
Freer Gallery of Art, purchased through C. T. Loo & Company, New York from Zhang Naiji on April 17, 1939 [3]

Notes:

[1] According to information provided by Zhang Naiji to John E. Lodge at the time of acquisition, see J.E. Lodge's note, 1939, in F1939.6 object file. Zhang Naiji stated that he had obtained the jades, F1939.6 - F1939.26 and F1939.28 - F1939.33, selected by the Freer Gallery from a group of about 350 pieces offered for sale, at the places of their excavation. Lodge commented in his 1939 note: "I see no good reason to doubt [Zhang's] statement. I have, therefore, specified Shou Chou, or An‑yang, or Lo‑yang (Chin Ts'un) as the source of a piece in accordance with Mr. Chang's [Zhang's] designations given in my presence and recorded by me." Excavations at Anyang began in 1928.

[2] See note 1. See also "List of objects contemplated for purchase by Freer Gallery of Art," approved on February 1, 1939, Freer Gallery of Art Purchase List file, copy in object file. According to an annotation on the list, the purchase was made from C. T. Loo & Company, New York acting as agent for the owner and the payment was made on April 17, 1939. Zhang Naiji (also known as N.C. Chang) was a businessman, born to a prestigious family in Zhejiang that made their wealth in the silk and salt industries. He collected ancient Chinese art objects and Chinese coins. Zhang amassed his collection whilst living in Shanghai, before leaving for America in 1938. Zhang did not return to China until 1946. While the earliest documentation of Zhang's ownership of the jade dates to February 1939, we know that he acquired the objects in China before his departure.

[3] See "List of objects contemplated for purchase by Freer Gallery of Art," cited in note 2.

Previous owner(s): Zhang Naiji 張乃驥 (1899-1948)
C.T. Loo & Company (1914-1948)
C. T. Loo 盧芹齋 (1880-1957)

Curatorial Remarks

1. Brought through C. T. Loo & Co., New York, from Chang Nai-chi. For price, see Freer Gallery of Art Purchase List after 1920.

2. (J. E. L., 1939) See folder F1939.6, paragraph 2.

3. The perforation is conical, and the peripheral margin of the disc is bevelled in the same sense, so that the diameter of one surface is 3mm less than the diameter of the other. Judging by its shape and size, the object namy, perhaps, be one of the type which [Chn] Wu Ta-ch'eng ([Chn], Vol. II, pg. 108) calls [Chn] ch'i (also written [Chn] or [Chn]), i.e. a jade ornament for the King's cap (see [Chn] Chou Li, [Chn], [Chn]; or Biot, Le Tcheiu-li, Livre XXXII, 5). See also folder F1939.15, paragraph 3.

4. Specific gravity is 2.968g. The presence of earth incrustations prevents a higher reading for nephrite.

5. (W. B. Trousdale, 1964) Shang dynasty. See similar piece in Salmony, Archaic Chinese Jades from the E. and L. B. Sonnenchein Collection (Chicago, 1952), pl. xxii, 2.

6. (J. Smith per Keith Wilson, 7/1/2008) Jewelry added as secondary classification

7. (S. Allee, as per Keith Wilson, 27 October 2008) Added "Previous owner" Zhang Naiqi. As no scientific test recorded, removed designation "nephrite." Added Dimensions per Christine Lee, from Jade Project Database. Also changed Title from "Ornament" to "Circular pendant with coiled dragon," and Object Name from "Jewelry: ring" to "Jewelry (pendant)."

8. (S. Allee, 02 June 2009) Corrected name of previous owner from Zhang Naiqi to Zhang Naiji and added Chinese characters, as well as his life dates and a brief biography.

9. (S. Kitsoulis per Keith Wilson, 9 July 2010) Deleted "(pendant)" from object name.

Published References: Published References are currently unavailable.

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