Object: Pendant in the form of a fluted ring F1939.11

Classification: Jewelry and Ornament

Historical period(s): Warring States period, Eastern Zhou dynasty, 475-221 BCE

Object Date: 475-221 BCE

Medium: Jade (nephrite)

Dimension(s): Diam x D: 6.2 × 0.7 cm (2 7/16 × 1/4 in) Diam (hole): 3.8 cm (1 1/2 in)

Origin: China, probably Henan province, Jincun, but purportedly found at Anhui province, Shou xian

Credit Line: Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment

Collection: Freer Gallery of Art Collection

Accession Number: F1939.11

: 凹槽紋環形佩
東周戰國時期（公元前475-221年）
中國，疑似河南金村，傳安徽壽縣出土
軟玉
直徑6.2、厚0.7釐米；孔徑5.2釐米
查爾斯·蘭·佛利爾基金捐購
器物編號：F1939.11

Provenance: About 1930
Reportedly discovered in archeological site at Shouzhou, Anhui Province, China [1]

To 1939
Zhang Naiji (1899‑1948), Shanghai, China and New York, NY from at least February 1939 [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] The pendant traditionally was said to have been excavated in Shouzhou, Anhui Province based on 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.

[2] See object information sheet and "List of objects contemplated for purchase by Freer Gallery of Art," approved on February 1, 1939, Freer Gallery of Art Purchase List file, copies 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)

Past label text: 1. Ancient Chinese Jade, September 4, 1980-March 6, 1981; by Julia K. Murray (shown with F1939.9, F1939.10, F1939.12, F1939.13; additional jades organized by types shown in same case)

The fluted or faceted rings exhibited above are usually called bracelets. However, because they are flat in profile rather than convex, they may be ornaments for attachment to another surface. In addition, flat rings have been found as components of a necklace, as in a late Warring States tomb in Shantung [Shandong] 山東 province.

Fluted rings (F1939.9 through F1939.12) resembling twisted rope also formed part of the jade inventory at the 5th century BCE tomb of the Marquis of Ts'ai [Cai] 蔡 at Shou hsien [Shou xian] 壽縣, Anhui 安徽, and at the 4th thru 3rd century BCE tomb no. 1 at Ku wei ts'un [Guwei cun] 固圍村, Hui hsien [Hui xian] 輝縣 in Honan [Henan] 河南. The wide twist variety (F1939.11) is thought to have developed slightly before the narrow twist type (F1939.9).

The double disk ring (F1939.13) displays a fluted outer ring enclosing a smooth, flat inner disk attached by projections. Three geometrical motifs are symmetrically incised on the surface of the latter.

All the rings are traditionally said to have come from Shou chou [Shou xian] 壽縣 in Anhui 安徽 province.

Curatorial Remarks

1. Bought through C. T. Loo and Company, New York, NY, from Chang Nai chi [Zhang Naiji] 張乃驥. For price, see Freer Gallery of Art Purchase List after 1920.
2. (John Ellerton Lodge, 1939) See Folder F1939.6, Paragraph 2.
3. (Undated Folder Sheet note) Beautifully made in itself, but of unknown use.
4. (Undated Folder Sheet note) Sp. G. is 2.986. Nephrite.
5. (Julia Murray, 1980) Added: "Late Eastern" and "Warring States" to Chou [Zhou] 周 dynasty. See F1939.9.
6. (Thomas Lawton, Chinese Art of the Warring States Period: Change and Continuity, 480-222 B.C. [Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution, 1982], cat. no. 127) The fluted decoration that covers the surface of the ring is more broadly modeled than in the two previous examples, making the proportions of the round grooves and sharp edges similar to those on the rings found at the tomb of the marquis of Ts'ai [Cai] 蔡 at Shou Hsien [Shou xian] 壽縣, Anhui 安徽 province. [1] The broader proportions might represent a slightly earlier development of this type of jade decoration.
[1] Anhui sheng wenwu guanli weiyuanhui 安徽省文物管理委員會 and Anhui sheng bowuguan 安徽省博物館, Shou xian Cai hou mu chutu yiwu 壽縣蔡侯墓出土遺物 (Beijing: Kexue chubanshe, 1956), pls. 28:8--9, 105:10--11 and 14--15.
7. (Stephen Allee per Keith Wilson, June 18, 2008) As per Jenny F. So, Jade Project Database, changed Date from "5th-4th century BCE" to "475--221 BCE"; added Previous Owner: Zhang Naiqi. Also changed Object Name from "Ring" to "Jewelry"; changed Title from "Ring" to "Pendant in the form of a braided ring." Added Dimensions per Christine Lee, from Jade Project Database.
8. (Stephen Allee per Keith Wilson, June 23, 2008) Added "Reputedly Shouzhou [Shou xian] 壽縣, Anhui 安徽 province, probably Jincun 金村, Henan 河南 province" to Geographical location, Origin.
9. (Jeffrey Smith per Keith Wilson, July 29, 2008) "Jewelry and Ornament" added as secondary classification.
10. (Stephen Allee, June 2, 2009) The previous owner of this jade pendant, Zhang Naiji 張乃驥 (1899--1948), who is generally known by his courtesy name Shuxun 叔馴, was one of the most important pre--World War II collectors of Chinese coins. He also collected ancient jades and books. In 1938, at the beginning of hostilities with Japan, he moved with his entire family to the United States and settled in New York City, where he died in 1948. Accordingly, on this date, corrected his life dates under Previous Owner, from "1897--1977" to "1899--1948." The earlier dates were previously added incorrectly based on a misidentification with another collector of ancient jades whose name is romanized as Zhang Naiqi.
11. (Susan Kitsoulis per Keith Wilson, July 9, 2010) Deleted "(pendant)" from Object Name.
12. (Najiba Choudhury per Keith Wilson, February 23, 2022) Title changed from "Pendant in the form of a braided ring" to "Pendant in the form of a fluted ring"; Object Name changed from "Jewelry" to "Pendant"; Geography changed from "Probably Jincun, Henan province, Reputedly Shouzhou, Anhui province, China" to "China, probably Henan province, Jincun, but purportedly found at Anhui province, Shou xian"; added Chinese translation; and added Past Label Text.
13.(Jeffrey Smith per Matthew Clarke, July 8, 2022) Medium changed from "Jade (nephrite?)" to "Jade (nephrite)."

Published References

Thomas Lawton. Chinese Art of the Warring States Period: Change and Continuity, 480-222 B.C. Washington, 1982-1983. cat. 127, p. 175.
Alfred Salmony. Chinese Jade Through the Wei Dynasty. New York, 1963. pl. 19, no. 2.

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