One of a set of bells (<em>bo</em>) with felines and dragons
date: label: Date
content: ca. 550-500 BCE
label: Period
content: Eastern Zhou dynasty, late Spring and Autumn period
notes: label: Provenance
content: Dr. Otto Burchard (1892-1965), Berlin [1]
label: Provenance
content: Yamanaka & Company, New York [2]
label: Provenance
content: From at least 1933 to 1941
label: Provenance
content: Mrs. Christian R. Holmes (1871-1941), New York and "The Chimneys," Sands Point, Port Washington, Long Island, purchased from Yamanaka & Company by at least 1933 [3]
label: Provenance
content: From 1941 to 1963
label: Provenance
content: Holmes Foundation, New York [4]
label: Provenance
content: 1963
label: Provenance
content: Sale, New York, 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 Order of the Holmes Foundation, November 14-15, 1963, lot 255 (ill.): "Wrought Silver-Bronze Bell (Chung)."
label: Provenance
content: To 1987
label: Provenance
content: Dr. Arthur M. Sackler (1913-1987), New York
label: Provenance
content: From 1987
label: Provenance
content: Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, gift of Dr. Arthur M. Sackler in 1987 [5]
label: Provenance
content: Notes:
label: Provenance
content: [1] According to Osvald Sirén, A History of Chinese Art (London: E. Benn Ltd., 1929), pl. 107 A. Sirén noted that at the time of publication the object had already left the Burchard collection.
label: Provenance
content: [2] According to Parke-Bernet Galleries, New York, sale cat., Important Chinese Art: Early Dynastic Bronzes, Silver and Gold...Collected by the Late Bettie F. Holmes (Mrs. Christian R. Holmes), New York, Sold by Order of the Holmes Foundation (New York, November 14-15, 1963), lot 255 (ill.).
label: Provenance
content: [3] Umehara Sueji, Shina-kodo Seikwa (Selected Relics of Ancient Chinese Bronzes from Collections in Europe and America): Part I Bronze Vases vol. 3 (Osaka: Yamanaka & Co., 1933), pl. 201.
label: Provenance
content: Mrs. Holmes lent the bell to International Exhibition of Chinese Art at Royal Academy of Fine Arts in London in 1935-36, see Catalogue of the International Exhibition of Chinese Art, exh. cat. (London: Royal Academy of Arts, November 1935-March 7, 1936), cat. 139 (ill.) and subsequently to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, see Chinese Bronzes of the Shang (1766-1122 B. C.) through the T’ang Dynasty (A.D. 618-906) (New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, October 19-November 27, 1938), cat. 174 (ill.).
label: Provenance
content: In the 1963 Parke-Bernet auction catalogue cited in note 2, the object is listed as purchased by Mrs. Holmes from Yamanaka & Company.
label: Provenance
content: [4] Mrs. Holmes had established the Holmes Foundation to continue her charity work after her death.
label: Provenance
content: [5] 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.
label: Collection
content: Arthur M. Sackler Collection
label: Exhibition History
content: Resound: Ancient Bells of China (October 14, 2017 - July 5, 2021)
label: Exhibition History
content: The Arts of China (November 18, 1990 to September 7, 2014)
label: Exhibition History
content: In Praise of Ancestors: Ritual Objects from China (September 28, 1987 to January 1, 1989)
label: Exhibition History
content: Chinese Bronzes from American Collections (October 19 to November 27, 1938)
label: Exhibition History
content: International Exhibition of Chinese Art (November 28, 1935 to March 7, 1936)
label: Previous custodian or owner
content: Dr. Otto C. Burchard (1892-1965)
label: Previous custodian or owner
content: Yamanaka and Co. 山中商会 (1917-1965)
label: Previous custodian or owner
content: Mrs. Christian R. Holmes (1871-1941)
label: Previous custodian or owner
content: Holmes Foundation
label: Previous custodian or owner
content: Parke-Bernet Galleries
label: Previous custodian or owner
content: Dr. Arthur M. Sackler (1913-1987)
place: label: Origin
content: Houma foundry, Shanxi province, China
topic: label: Topic
content: casting
label: Topic
content: metal
label: Topic
content: bronze
label: Topic
content: dragon
label: Topic
content: Eastern Zhou dynasty (770 - 221 BCE)
label: Topic
content: Spring and Autumn period (770 - 476 BCE)
label: Topic
content: cat
label: Topic
content: China
label: Topic
content: Chinese Art
setName: label: Related Online Resources
content: Google Arts & Culture
label: See more items in
content: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Collection
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Arthur M. Sackler
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
identifier: label: Accession Number
content: S1987.282
objectType: label: Type
content: Musical Instrument
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: CC0
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: Bronze
label: Dimensions
content: H x W x D: 20.5 x 12.8 x 10.4 cm (8 1/16 x 5 1/16 x 4 1/8 in)