Object: Pendant in the form of a disk with birds S2012.9.1257

Classification: Jewelry and Ornament

Historical period(s): Forgery in the style of Western Zhou dynasty, 20th century

Object Date: 20th century

Medium: Jade (nephrite)

Dimension(s): H x Diam (overall): 0.3 x 5.4 cm (1/8 x 2 1/8 in)

Origin: China

Credit Line: The Dr. Paul Singer Collection of Chinese Art of the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; a joint gift of the Arthur M. Sackler Foundation, Paul Singer, the AMS Foundation for the Arts, Sciences, and Humanities, and the Children of Arthur M. Sackler

Collection: Arthur M. Sackler Collection

Accession Number: S2012.9.1257

鳥紋璧形飾
20世紀仿西周（公元前1050-850年）風格
中國
軟玉
直徑5.4、厚0.3釐米
史密森博物學院亞瑟·M·賽克勒美術館保羅·辛格中國藝術收藏品；亞瑟·M·賽克勒基金會，保羅·辛格，AMS基金會，及亞瑟·M·賽克勒子女聯合贈送
器物編號：RLS1997.48.3606

Provenance: ?-1997
Dr. Paul Singer (1904-1997), method of acquisition unknown [1]

1997-1999
In the custody of Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, upon death of Paul Singer and establishment of a loan agreement [2]

From 1999
The National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, by gift of the Arthur M. Sackler Foundation, Paul Singer, the AMS Foundation for the Arts, Sciences, and Humanities, and the Children of Dr. Arthur M. Sackler [3]

Notes:

[1] The collection of Chinese art and antiquities assembled by Dr. Paul Singer over time was purchased by him on behalf of Dr. Arthur M. Sackler, Jillian Sackler, The Arthur M. Sackler Foundation, the AMS Foundation for the Arts, Sciences and Humanities and later was transferred to the children of Dr. Arthur M. Sackler.

[2] The Dr. Paul Singer Collection of Chinese Art came into the custody of the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, upon Paul Singer’s death in January 1997. See loan agreement between the Executors of the Singer Estate and the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, February 1997, copy in collection accession files. In March 2023, the museum's legal name changed to National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution.

[3] The entirety of the Dr. Paul Singer Collection of Chinese Art formally accessioned in 2012. See the Dr. Paul Singer Collection of Chinese Art gift agreement, March 1999, copy in collection accession files. The work is part of the Museum’s Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Collection.

Research updated on June 12, 2024.

Previous owner(s): Dr. Paul Singer (1904-1997)

Curatorial Remarks

1. (Najiba Choudhury per Keith Wilson, November 19, 2019) Title changed from "Disk" to "Pendant in the form of a disk with birds"; Period One changed from "Western Zhou dynasty" to "Forgery in the style of Western Zhou dynasty"; Date changed from "10th century BCE" to "20th century"; Medium changed from "Jade (nephrite)" to "Jade"; added Chinese Caption by Jingmin Zhang; changed Object name from "Disk" to "Jewelry"; and added Unpublished Research by Louisa Fitzgerald Huber.

Unpublished Research: Draft catalogue entry (no. 314) for RLS1997.48.3606 for the catalogue of the Singer collection (1970--1990); by Louisa Fitzgerald Huber
Flat Disk with Acentric Perforation
Western Zhou 周 dynasty, 10th century BCE
Jade
Diameter 5.4 cm (2 1/4 in)

This disk is similar to the preceding example, except for the acentric location of the perforation and the consequent displacement of the bird's head to a position closer to the outer perimeter. The translucent, pale olive green jade shows whitish and tan clouds, and its surfaces are polished to a very high gloss.

Published References

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

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Pendant in the form of a disk with birds

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