Pendant with dragon head, one of a pair

1. Purchased from K. T. Wong [Wang Jiantang] 王鑑堂 of Shanghai 上海 in New York, NY. For price, see Original Miscellaneous List, p. 316. Price

2. Original attribution: Chinese. Chou [Zhou] 周. See further, S.I. 1368, Appendix IX.

3. (Isabel Ingram Mayer, 1945) Chou [Zhou] 周 dynasty. This is probably one of an original pair of necklace pendants. For use and position on chain, see F1930.27a-k.

4. (Thomas Lawton, 1978) Late Eastern Chou [Zhou] 周.

5. (Thomas Lawton, Chinese Art of the Warring States Period: Change and Continuity, 480--222 B.C. [Washington, DC: Freer Gallery of Art, 1982], cat. no. 88) This simple crescent shaped pendant is decorated with a  stylized dragon head at one end and incised linear motifs on both flat surfaces. Extensive abrasion and alteration have affected the surfaces, making it difficult to decipher the decoration in some areas. A small loop in the outer edge of the pendant is carefully finished. The tip of the pointed end of the piece is broken.

The pendant probably was one of a pair and originally may have formed part of a larger ensemble (see cat. no. 77 F1930.27a-k). In shape and design, it is related to a more elaborate pendant in the Freer collection (cat. no. 89 F1918.43). Two jade pendants unearthed in tomb 269, at Fen shui ling [Fenshuiling] 分水岭, Ch'ang chih [Changzhi] 長治, Shansi [Shanxi] 山西 province, should be mentioned in relation to the Freer examples. [1] Some indication of the complexity of Warring States period pendants of this general type  is provided by an example in the Sonnenschien collection. [2]

[1] K'ao-ku hsueh-pao [Kaogu xuebao] 考古學報 1974.2, pl. 5:4.

[2] Alfred Salmony, Archaic Chinese Jades from the Edward and Louise B. Sonnenschein Collection (Chicago: Art Institute of Chicago, 1952), pl. 78:1.

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

7. (Susan Kitsoulis per Keith Wilson, July 8, 2010) Object Name changed from "Pendant: dragon" to "Jewelry."

8. (Najiba Choudhury per Keith Wilson, July 6, 2022) Title changed from "Ornament; flat, sickle shaped pendant in form of stylized dragon" to "Pendant with dragon head, one of a pair"; Period One changed from "Eastern Zhou dynasty" to "Forgery in the style of Eastern Zhou dynasty"; date changed from "5th-4th century BCE" to "20th century"; added Chinese translation; removed the following from the Description field:

"Chinese
Late Eastern Chou dynasty, Warring States period. 5th-4th centuries B.C.

Ornament; flat, sickle shaped pendant in form of stylized dragon; small, projecting functional loop on outer edge at back of head; gray and white; granular surface due to advanced decomposition, one small area on head of hard, polished, original surface; decoration: carved and lightly incised, simple linear design and circles on both sides. Tip of tail broken. For similar, smaller piece, see 18.43. Box."

Added the following to the Description field: "Ornament; flat, sickle shaped pendant in form of stylized dragon; small, projecting functional loop on outer edge at back of head; gray and white; granular surface due to advanced decomposition, one small area on head of hard, polished, original surface; decoration: carved and lightly incised, simple linear design and circles on both sides. Tip of tail broken. For similar, smaller piece, see F1918.43.

Acquired with a box, now lost."