Jades for Life and Death

Classification: Weapon and Armament

Historical period(s): Western Han dynasty, 206-9 BCE

Object Date: 206-9 BCE

Medium: Jade (nephrite)

Dimension(s): H: 6 cm (2 3/8 in)

Origin: China

Credit Line: Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment

Collection: Freer Gallery of Art Collection

Accession Number: F1939.28

: 獸首劍格
西漢（公元前206--公元9年）
中國
軟玉
高1.9、寬5.3、厚2釐米
查爾斯·蘭·佛利爾基金捐購
器物編號：F1939.28

Provenance: To 1939
Zhang Naiji (1899-1948), Shanghai, China and New York, NY from at least February 1939 [1]

From 1939
Freer Gallery of Art, purchased through C. T. Loo & Company, New York from Zhang Naiji on April 17, 1939 [2]

Notes:

[1] See "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 Zhang Naiji and the payment was made on April 17, 1939. It seems that John Lodge forgot to record where Zhang Naiji purchased this piece, as he did not note that the "provenance was unknown," as he did with other objects, like F1939.27. 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.

[2] 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)

Description: Sword fitting. Sword guard of translucent, milk white nephrite; a “mask” in low relief on either side; perforated for the tang.

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) There is a small rusty streak on one edge of the perforation--not due to the tang of the sword, I should think. The object is called chih [zhi] 璏.
4. (Undated Folder Sheet note) Sp. G. is 2.979. Nephrite.
5. (William B. Trousdale, 1964) Han 漢 dynasty. Probably 1st century BCE. Re: Paragraph 3 above: Although Chinese writers differ in their opinions as to the name of this object, chih [zhi] 璏 would seem incorrect. It should probably be la 臘 . chih [zhi] 璏 more commonly designates the scabbard slide, such as F1915.233.
6. (Thomas Lawton, 1978) Western Han 漢. When this object was first accessioned, it was dated late Chou [Zhou] 周, ca. 480--230 BCE, and given a Shou Chou [Shou xian] 壽縣 provenance, presumably supplied by the dealer. That information was omitted when the Folder Sheet was retyped at some later date.
7. (Jeffrey Smith per Keith Wilson, August 14, 2008) Primary classification: Jade; secondary classification: Weapon and Armament.
8. (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.
9. (Najiba Choudhury per Keith Wilson, January 26, 2024) Title changed from “Sword fitting” to “Sword guard with mask”; and added Chinese caption by Jingmin Zhang.

Published References

S. Howard Hansford. Chinese Carved Jades. The Arts of the East London. pl. 53b.
Alfred Salmony. Chinese Jade Through the Wei Dynasty. New York, 1963. pl. 16, no. 2.

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Sword guard with mask

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