Hinged cosmetic box in the form of a clam’s shell with birds and floral scrolls

Box in the form of a clam-shell; silver hinged. Surface: lustrous gray patina, somewhat worn; traces of earthy adhesions on the inside. Decoration: engraved; gold leaf applied to areas in the design.

Historical period(s)
Early or mid-Tang dynasty, late 7th-early 8th century
Medium
Silver
Dimensions
H x W x D: 4.6 x 9.3 x 8.2 cm (1 13/16 x 3 11/16 x 3 1/4 in)
Geography
China, Shaanxi province, Probably Xi’an
Credit Line
Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art Collection
Accession Number
F1930.50a-b
On View Location
Freer Gallery 16: Center of the World: China and the Silk Road
Classification(s)
Container, Metalwork
Type

Box

Keywords
China, Tang dynasty (618 - 907)
Provenance

1930
Yamanaka and Company, Boston 1930 [1]

From 1930
Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from Yamanaka and Company, Boston in 1930 [2]

Notes:

[1] Object file, undated folder sheet. Also see Freer Gallery of Art Purchase List file, Collections Management Office.

[2] See note 1.

Previous Owner(s) and Custodian(s)

Yamanaka and Co. 1917-1965

Description

Box in the form of a clam-shell; silver hinged. Surface: lustrous gray patina, somewhat worn; traces of earthy adhesions on the inside. Decoration: engraved; gold leaf applied to areas in the design.

Published References
  • Clarence W. Kelley. Chinese Gold and Silver in American Collections: A.D. 618-907. Exh. cat. Dayton, Ohio, November 10, 1984 - January 6, 1985. .
  • Bo Gyllensvard, The Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities. T'ang Gold and Silver. no. 29 Stockholm. cat. 292, pl. 10a.
  • Masterpieces of Chinese and Japanese Art: Freer Gallery of Art handbook. Washington, 1976. p. 24.
Collection Area(s)
Chinese Art
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
CC0 - Creative Commons (CC0 1.0)

This image is in the public domain (free of copyright restrictions). You can copy, modify, and distribute this work without contacting the Smithsonian. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.

The information presented on this website may be revised and updated at any time as ongoing research progresses or as otherwise warranted. Pending any such revisions and updates, information on this site may be incomplete or inaccurate or may contain typographical errors. Neither the Smithsonian nor its regents, officers, employees, or agents make any representations about the accuracy, reliability, completeness, or timeliness of the information on the site. Use this site and the information provided on it subject to your own judgment. The Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery welcome information that would augment or clarify the ownership history of objects in their collections.

citation | Save this image How to download an image | Terms of Use