Object: Disk (bi) with raised uniform curls arranged in a grid S1987.657

Classification: Ceremonial Object

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: 24.9 × 0.7 cm (9 13/16 × 1/4 in) Diam (hole): 8.3 cm (3 1/4 in)

Origin: China

Credit Line: Gift of Arthur M. Sackler

Collection: Arthur M. Sackler Collection

Accession Number: S1987.657

: 凸面規則網格谷紋璧
東周戰國時期（公元前475-221年）
中國
軟玉
直徑24.9、厚0.4釐米；孔徑
亞瑟·M·賽克勒贈送
器物編號：S1987.657

Provenance: To 1959
Diedrich Abbes (1866-1959), Greenwich, Connecticut [1]

1959 to 1987
Dr. Arthur M. Sackler, New York, purchased from the estate of Diedrich Abbes on July 10, 1959 through Frank Caro, C. T. Loo Chinese Art, New York [2]

From 1987
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, gift of Dr. Arthur M. Sackler in 1987 [3]

Notes:

[1] See note on Arthur M. Sackler, M.D. letterhead acknowledging the "purchase and receipt of 17 pieces of stone carvings of the Shang, Yin-Chou and Chou periods from the Dietrich Abbes collection. The price in full, exclusive of commission, will be paid as indicated by this note in two installments," copy in object file.

[2] See note 1. For Frank Caro's involvement, see: letter to Frank Caro from Arnold J. Bai of the law firm Goldstein and Peck, Bridgeport Connecticut, September 28, 1960, copy in object file. The letter asks Frank Caro to have (presumably) his client, Arthur M. Sackler, to send the final payment for the Diedrich Abbes Collection of jades to the law firm. Goldstein and Peck mistakenly identify Mr. Caro's business as C. T. Loo Company, when it was called C. T. Loo Chinese Art.

[3] 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): C.T. Loo Chinese Art (1953-1961)
Frank Caro (1904-1980)
Diedrich Abbes (1866-1959)
Dr. Arthur M. Sackler (1913-1987)

Curatorial Remarks

1. (Jeffrey Smith per Keith Wilson, July 8, 2008) "Ceremonial Object" added as secondary classification.
2. (Stephen Allee, March 25, 2009) Jenny F. So, Jade Project Database, gives Date as "ca. 4th-3rd century BCE"; but as per Keith Wilson, current Date "5th-4th century BCE" is retained, while current Title "Ritual disk, Bi 璧" is changed to "Disk (bi 璧) with spirals," Object Name "Disk (bi) 璧" is changed to "Ceremonial object," and "Warring States period" is added to Period Two. Changed Medium "Jade" to "Jade (?)," as no scientific analysis is recorded. Added Measurements (Diam x D: 24.9 x 0.7; Diam [hole]: 8.3;) as per Christine Lee, Jade Project Database. Also added Source: "J. T. (Jun Tsei) Tai [Dai Runzhai] 戴潤齋, New York," and Description as per Jenny F. So, Jade Project Database.
3. (Jeffrey Smith per Matthew Clarke, July 25, 2022) Medium changed from Jade (?) to Jade (nephrite).
4. (Najiba Choudhury per Keith Wilson, June 5, 2023) Period One changed from "Late Eastern Zhou dynasty" to "Eastern Zhou dynasty"; Title changed from "Disk (bi) with spirals" to "Disk (bi) with raised uniform curls arranged in a grid"; Date changed from "5th-4th century BCE" to "475–221 BCE"; and added Chinese Translation by Jingmin Zhang.

Published References: Published References are currently unavailable.

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Disk (bi) with raised uniform curls arranged in a grid

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