Object: Ornament with a dragon head F1939.22

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): H x W x D: 5.5 x 2 x 0.4 cm (2 3/16 x 13/16 x 1/8 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: F1939.22

: 龍首紋飾
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
高5.5、寬2、厚0.4釐米
查爾斯·蘭·佛利爾基金捐購
器物編號：F1939.22

Provenance: About 1930
Purportedly discovered in archaeological site at Anhui Province, Shou xian [1]

?–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 and Company, New York, from Zhang Naiji on April 17, 1939 [3]

Notes:

[1] The pendant traditionally was said to have been excavated at Anhui province, Shou xian, based on information provided by Zhang Naiji to John Ellerton Lodge at the time of acquisition (see John Ellerton 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 and 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. Bought through C. T. Loo and Company, New York, 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) The dragon seems to be of the k'uei [kui] 夔 variety, and this dorsal view of him is interesting in connection with similar dragons and the so called t'ao t'ieh [taotie] 饕餮 masks so often seen on ancient bronze vessels. The sort of thing to which this plaque was meant to be applied as ornament can only be guessed at, possibly military equipment of some kind.
4. (Undated Folder Sheet note) Specific gravity is 2.987. Nephrite.
5. (William B. Trousdale, 1964) Late Eastern Chou [Zhou] 周, or Warring States Period. The Shou Chou [Shou xian] 壽縣 provenance is unverifiable.
6. (Thomas Lawton, 1978) Attribution changed from "Chou [Zhou] 周, ca. 480--230 BCE; Shou Chou [Shou xian] 壽縣" to "Western Han 漢." This plaque has no perforations and was probably meant to be set into a metal belt hook, such as F1946.8, for which a Han 漢 date also seems appropriate.
7. (Thomas Lawton, 1982) Changed from "Han 漢" to "Warring States, 4th--3rd century BCE."
(Thomas Lawton, Chinese Art of the Warring States Period: Change and Continuity, 480--222 B.C. [Washington, DC: Freer Gallery of Art, 1982], cat. no. 98) A monster mask--indicated by eyes, nostrils, and pointed ears incised in low relief--appears at one end of the plaque. The remainder of the design, consisting of curvilinear bands symmetrically arranged, might be interpreted as an elaborate plumed crest. Simply incised lines (including a pair of cowries), crosshatching, and paired outlines, enhance the surface of the piece. There are no perforations on the plaque, which probably was meant to be set into a mounting.
The traditional Shou chou [Shou xian] 壽縣 attribution is unverifiable.
8. (Stephen Allee per Keith Wilson, June 23, 2008) As per Jenny F. So, Jade Project Database, changed Date from "4th--3rd century BCE" to "475--221 BCE." Added Previous Owner: Ex collection Zhang Naiqi, 1897--1977. Changed Object Name to "Fitting"; changed Title from "Ornament" to "Rectangular applique." Added Dimensions per Christine Lee, Jade Project Database. Added "Reputedly Shouzhou [Shou xian] 壽縣, Anhui 安徽 province, probably Jincun 金村, Henan 河南 province" to Geographical Location, Origin.
9. (Stephen Allee, June 2, 2009) Corrected name of previous owner from Zhang Naiqi to Zhang Naiji 張乃驥 and added Chinese characters, as well as his life dates (1899--1948) and a brief biography.
10. (Jeffrey Smith per Matthew Clarke, July 8, 2022) Medium changed from "Jade (nephrite?)" to "Jade (nephrite)."
11. (Najiba Choudhury per Keith Wilson, March 29, 2023) Title changed from "Rectangular appliqué" to "Ornament with a dragon head"; Geography changed from "Reputedly Shouzhou, Anhui province, Probably Jincun, Henan province, China" to "China, probably Henan province, Jincun, but purportedly found at Anhui province, Shou xian"; and added Chinese caption by Jingmin Zhang.

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Ornament with a dragon head

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