Object: Pendant in the form of a bird S1987.704

Classification: Jewelry and Ornament

Historical period(s): Anyang period, Late Shang dynasty, ca. 1250-1050 BCE

Object Date: ca. 1250-1050 BCE

Medium: Jade (nephrite) with traces of cinnabar

Dimension(s): H x W x D: 3.5 × 3.6 × 0.3 cm (1 3/8 × 1 7/16 × 1/8 in)

Origin: China, probably Henan province, Anyang

Credit Line: Gift of Arthur M. Sackler

Collection: Arthur M. Sackler Collection

Accession Number: S1987.704

: 鳥形飾
晚商安陽時期（公元前1250-1050年）
中國，疑似河南安陽市
軟玉
高3.3、寬4.5、厚0.3釐米
亞瑟·M·賽克勒贈送
器物編號：S1987.704

Provenance: Mrs. Christian R. Holmes (1871-1941), New York and "The Chimneys," Sands Point, Port Washington, Long Island [1]

From 1941 to 1963
Holmes Foundation, New York [2]

1963
Sale, New York, Parke-Bernet Galleries, Important Chinese Art: Early Dynastic Bronzes, Silver and Gold...Collected by the Late Mrs. Christian R. Holmes, New York, Sold by the Order of the Holmes Foundation, November 14-15, 1963, lot 200/4: “Four Jade Ornaments: Type of the preceding [lot], two in the form of waterfowl; a deer and a white jade owl-like bird”

From 1963 to 1987
Dr. Arthur M. Sackler (1913-1987), New York, purchased through Frank Caro from Parke-Bernet Galleries Sale on November 15, 1963 [3]

From 1987
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, gift of Dr. Arthur M. Sackler on September 11, 1987 [4]

Notes:

[1] See Parke-Bernet Galleries, Important Chinese Art: Early Dynastic Bronzes, Silver and Gold...Collected by the Late Bettie F. Holmes (Mrs. Christian R. Holmes), New York, Sold by the Order of the Holmes Foundation, November 14-15, 1963, lot 200/4. The lot has been identified as S1987.704 based on information provided by Arthur M. Sackler Foundation, October 2009.

[2] Mrs. Holmes had established the Holmes Foundation to continue her charity work after her death.

[3] See Frank Caro’s invoice issued to Arthur M. Sackler on November 22, 1963, copy provided by the Arthur M. Sackler Foundation, October 2009, in object file.

[4] 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): Mrs. Christian R. Holmes (1871-1941)
Holmes Foundation
Parke-Bernet Galleries
Dr. Arthur M. Sackler (1913-1987)

Past label text: In Praise of Ancestors, September 28, 1987–January 5, 1989; by Thomas Lawton (shown with S1987.590, S1987.580, S1987.870, S1987.560, S1987.547, S1987.846, S1987.620, S1987.536, S1987.862, S1987.531, S1987.530, S1987.679, S1987.623, S1987.863, S1987.525, S1987.873, S1987.872, S1987.869, and S1987.544; additional bronzes shown in same case)
Pendant (Pei 珮)
11th century BCE
Western Zhou 周 dynasty
China
Jade

2. Keith Wilson, Anyang: China's Ancient City of Kings, Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, February 25, 2023 to April 28, 2024)

Finial and Pendants in the form of birds
Anyang period, ca. 1250–1050 BCE
Jade (nephrite)
Gift of Arthur M. Sackler S1987.637, S1987.704, S1987.845, and S1987.870

Curatorial Remarks

1. (Jeffrey Smith per Keith Wilson, July 1, 2008) Jewelry added as secondary classification.

2. (Susan Kitsoulis per Keith Wilson, May 4, 2010) Title changed from "Pendant (pei 珮): bird" to "Bird shaped pendant"; object name from "Pendant: bird" to "Jewelry." Added "with traces of cinnabar" to medium description.

3. (Jeffrey Smith per Keith Wilson, May 1, 2012) Late Shang 商, late Anyang 安陽 period, or Western Zhou 周 dynasty. Title changed to "Pendant in the form of a bird."
4. (Jeffrey Smith per Keith Wilson, September 13, 2019) Period and dates changed from "Late Shang, late Anyang period, or Western Zhou dynasty, 11th century BCE" to "Late Shang dynasty, Anyang period, ca. 1300-1050 BCE." China, probably Henan province, Anyang.
5. (Najiba Choudhury, February 5, 2020) Object name changed from "Pendant" to "Jewelry."
6. (YinYing Chen per Keith Wilson, February 15, 2023)
Change date from "ca. 1300-ca. 1050 BCE" to "ca. 1250-1050 BCE."
Change date from "公元前1300-1050年" to "公元前1250-1050年" in the translation field.
Change geography from "China." to "China, probably Henan province, Anyang."

Published References

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

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Pendant in the form of a bird

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