Forked blade (zhang 璋)

Historical period(s)
Late Neolithic period, ca. 3000-1700 BCE
Medium
Jade (nephrite)
Dimensions
H x W x D: 41 x 6.5 x 1 cm (16 1/8 x 2 9/16 x 3/8 in)
Geography
China
Credit Line
Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art Collection
Accession Number
F1939.55
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Ceremonial Object, Jade
Type

Ceremonial object: forked blade (zhang)

Keywords
China, Late Neolithic period (ca. 5000 - ca. 1700 BCE)
Provenance

In 1939
C. T. Loo & Company, New York in September 1939 [1]

From 1939
Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from C. T. Loo & Company on November 30, 1939 [2]

Notes:

[1] See C. T. Loo's stockcard no. 86519: "Jade knife, Shang," C. T. Loo & Frank Caro Archive, Musée Guimet, Paris, copy in object file. See also "List of objects owned by C. T. Loo & Co., New York and [left] at the Gallery for examination," with an annotation that the piece was delivered by Loo on November 4, 1939, copy in object file.

[2] See C. T. Loo's invoice, dated November 30, 1939, copy in object file.

Previous Owner(s) and Custodian(s)

C.T. Loo & Company 1914-1948

Published References
  • J. Keith Wilson, Jingmin Zhang. Jades for Life and Death. .
Collection Area(s)
Chinese Art
Web Resources
Jades for Life and Death
Google Cultural Institute
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