Object: Pendant in the form of a fish, one of a pair S1987.475

Classification: Jewelry and Ornament

Historical period(s): Anyang period, Late Shang dynasty, ca. 1300-ca. 1050 BCE

Object Date: ca. 1300-ca. 1050 BCE

Medium: Jade (nephrite)

Dimension(s): H x W x D: 2.5 × 7.5 × 0.4 cm (1 × 2 15/16 × 3/16 in)

Origin: China, probably Henan province, Anyang

Credit Line: Gift of The Arthur M. Sackler Foundation

Collection: Arthur M. Sackler Collection

Accession Number: S1987.475

: 魚形飾，對飾之一
晚商安陽時期（公元前1300-1050年）
中國，疑似河南安陽市
軟玉
高2.5、寬7.5、厚0.4釐米
亞瑟·M·賽克勒贈送
器物編號：S1987.475

Provenance: To 1959
Abel William Bahr (1877-1959) [1]

1959-1963
Edna H. Bahr (d. 1978), acquired by descent from her father, Abel William Bahr

1963-?
Dr. Arthur M. Sackler, New York, purchased from Edna H. Bahr in 1963 [2]

?-1980
Elizabeth Sackler, method of transfer unknown [3]

1980-1987
The Arthur M. Sackler Foundation, gift of Elizabeth Sackler [4]

From 1987
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, gift of the Arthur M. Sackler Foundation [5]

Notes:

[1] According to information provided by the Arthur M. Sackler Foundation, October 9, 2009.

[2] See no. 180-11.28 on list provided by the Arthur M. Sackler Foundation, October 9, 2009, copy in object file.

[3] See Letter to Elizabeth Sackler (Smith) from the Arthur M. Sackler Foundation from December 31, 1980, copy in object file.

[4] See note 3.

[5] Pursuant to the agreement between Dr. Arthur M. Sackler and the Smithsonian Institution, dated July 28, 1982, legal title of the donated objects was transferred to the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery on September 11, 1987.

Previous owner(s): Abel William Bahr (1877-1959)
Edna H. Bahr (1907-1986)
Dr. Elizabeth A. Sackler (born 1948)
Arthur M. Sackler Foundation (founded 1965)

Description: Pendant incised fish in profile; large pierced hole at head; dark green with white clouds; large suspension hole. (Spotty calcification; minor deposits. Dark stain from old label [?]. Fine scratch on that same side.)

Past label text: 1. In Praise of Ancestors, September 28, 1987–January 5, 1989; by Thomas Lawton (shown with S1987.556, S1987.549, S1987.632, S1987.634, S1987.843, S1987.477, S1987.555, S1987.573, S1987.633, S1987.461, and S1987.472)

Fish Pendant (Yu Pei 魚珮)

11th century BCE

Shang 商–Western Zhou 周 dynasties

China

Jade

Curatorial Remarks

1. (Jeffrey Smith per Keith Wilson, July 1, 2008) Jewelry added as secondary classification.
2. (Susan Kitsoulis per Keith Wilson, June 23, 2010) Object name changed from "Pendant: fish" to "Jewelry." Title changed from "Pendant (yupei 玉珮): fish" to "Pendant (yupei 玉珮) in the form of a fish."
3. (Najiba Choudhury per Keith Wilson, July 11, 2019) Title changed from "Pendant (yu pei) in the form of a fish" to "Pendant in the form of a fish, one of a pair"; Period One changed from "Shang or Western Zhou dynasty" to "Late Shang dynasty, Anyang period"; date changed from "11th century BCE" to "ca. 1300-ca. 1050 BCE"; Geography changed from "China" to "China, probably Henan province, Anyang"; added Chinese caption by Jingmin Zhang; and added Label Text from the exhibition, In Praise of Ancestors; and Object name changed from "Pendant" to "Jewelry".
Added the following to the Description field, "Pendant incised fish in profile; large pierced hole at head; dark green with white clouds; large suspension hole. (Spotty calcification; minor deposits. Dark stain from old label [?]. Fine scratch on that same side.)"

Published References

J. Keith Wilson, Jingmin Zhang. Jades for Life and Death. .

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Pendant in the form of a fish, one of a pair

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