Provenance Information

1985/06/04
At auction, Sotheby's New York, "Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art," June 4, 1985, sale no. 5340, lot no. 12;

1987
J. J. Lally & Co. (James J. Lally), New York, NY;

1987 - 2014
C. C. Johnson Spink (1916–1992) and Edith J. Spink (1921–2011), St. Louis, MO, purchased from J. J. Lally & Co.;

2014
Saint Louis Art Museum, bequest of Edith J. and C. C. Johnson Spink

Exhibition Information

None known.

Publication Information

Yang Xiaoneng, "The Shi Ke Xu: Reconsideration of an Inscribed Late Western Zhou Ritual Vessel," Artibus Asiae, vol. 52, nos. 3-4 (1992), pp. 163-214.

Sotheby's New York, Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, Sale 5340, June 4, 1985 (New York: Sotheby's, 1985).

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Gift or bequest expected or on loan prior to 2008

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

In a letter dated August 16, 1988, C.C. Johnson Spink wrote to a Hong Kong dealer explaining that his purchase was “destined for the St. Louis Art Museum” and that “the collection…will be given to the Museum at some future date.” This object was part of a collection of 215 works of Chinese or Japanese origin, collected by C. C. Johnson Spink and Edith J. Spink from the 1970s through the 1990s. The Museum formally received the collection by bequest in 2014.

Provenance Information

J. J. Lally & Co. (James J. Lally), New York, NY;

1992 - 2014
C. C. Johnson Spink (1916–1992) and Edith J. Spink (1921–2011), St. Louis, MO, purchased from J. J. Lally & Co.;

2014
Saint Louis Art Museum, bequest of Edith J. and C. C. Johnson Spink

Exhibition Information

None known

Publication Information

None known

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Gift or bequest expected or on loan prior to 2008

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

In a letter dated August 16, 1988, C.C. Johnson Spink wrote to a Hong Kong dealer explaining that his purchase was “destined for the St. Louis Art Museum” and that “the collection…will be given to the Museum at some future date.” This object was part of a collection of 215 works of Chinese or Japanese origin, collected by C. C. Johnson Spink and Edith J. Spink from the 1970s through the 1990s. The Museum formally received the collection by bequest in 2014.

Provenance Information

1930s-1959 collection of A.W. Bahr (1877-1959), Ridgefield, CT; 1959 estate of A.W. Bahr; 1959-early 1980s collection of Edna H. Bahr (d. 1986), Ridgefield, CT (by descent from her father A.W. Bahr); early 1980s-2014 collection of Robert Hatfield Ellsworth (1929-2014), New York (purchased from Edna H. Bahr); (2014 with Zetterquist Galleries, New York (on consignment from Ellsworth); 2014 collection of Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY (purchased through Zetterquist Galleries)

Exhibition Information

Zetterquist Galleries, New York, NY, Chinese Monochromes, March 15 - March 22, 2014

Publication Information

Zetterquist, Eric. Chinese Monochromes [an exh. cat.]. (New York: Zetterquist Galleries, 2014).

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Cumulative facts and circumstances

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

Object was in the collection of Abel W. Bahr (1877-1959) before 1970, as per documentation, on file.

Provenance Information

n.d.-2008 collection of private dealer, Hong Kong; 2008 collection of Zetterquist Galleries, New York (purchased from private dealer, Hong Kong); 2008-2012 collection of Akiko Yamazaki, Los Altos Hills, CA (purchased from Zetterquist Galleries); (2012 with Zetterquist Galleries (on consignment from Akiko Yamazaki)); 2012 collection of Lingao Tong, Ann Arbor and Ningbo China (purchased from Yamazaki through Zetterquist Galleries); 2012-2013 collection of Zetterquist Galleries, New York (acquired in trade from Lingao Tong); 2013 Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, Cornell University, Ithaca (purchased from Zetterquist Galleries)

Exhibition Information

Zetterquist Galleries, New York, 2008

Publication Information

n/a

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Cumulative facts and circumstances

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

In 2012, a previous owner had this object with him in China, and had received official permission to export it out of the country. The wax export seal is affixed to the bottom of the object.

Provenance Information

1980 - 2014
C. C. Johnson Spink (1916–1992) and Edith J. Spink (1921–2011), St. Louis, MO;

2014
Saint Louis Art Museum, bequest of Edith J. and C. C. Johnson Spink

Exhibition Information

None known

Publication Information

None known

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Gift or bequest expected or on loan prior to 2008

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

In a letter dated August 16, 1988, C.C. Johnson Spink wrote to a Hong Kong dealer explaining that his purchase was “destined for the St. Louis Art Museum” and that “the collection…will be given to the Museum at some future date.” This object was part of a collection of 215 works of Chinese or Japanese origin, collected by C. C. Johnson Spink and Edith J. Spink from the 1970s through the 1990s. The Museum formally received the collection by bequest in 2014.

Provenance Information

Eric J. Zetterquist, New York, NY;

1994 - 2014
Edith J. Spink (1921–2011), St. Louis, MO, purchased from Eric J. Zetterquist;

2014
Saint Louis Art Museum, bequest of C. C. Johnson and Edith J. Spink

Exhibition Information

None known

Publication Information

None known

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Gift or bequest expected or on loan prior to 2008

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

In a letter dated August 16, 1988, C.C. Johnson Spink wrote to a Hong Kong dealer explaining that his purchase was “destined for the St. Louis Art Museum” and that “the collection…will be given to the Museum at some future date.” This object was part of a collection of 215 works of Chinese or Japanese origin, collected by C. C. Johnson Spink and Edith J. Spink from the 1970s through the 1990s. The Museum formally received the collection by bequest in 2014.

Provenance Information

by 1988
Charlotte Horstmann & Gerald Godfrey Ltd., Hong Kong;

1989 - 2011
C. C. Johnson Spink (1916–1992) and Edith J. Spink (1921–2011), St. Louis, MO, USA, purchased from Charlotte Horstmann & Gerald Godfrey Ltd.;

2014
Saint Louis Art Museum, bequest of Edith J. and C. C. Johnson Spink

Exhibition Information

None known

Publication Information

None known

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Gift or bequest expected or on loan prior to 2008

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

In a letter dated August 16, 1988, C.C. Johnson Spink wrote to a Hong Kong dealer explaining that his purchase was “destined for the St. Louis Art Museum” and that “the collection…will be given to the Museum at some future date.” This object was part of a collection of 215 works of Chinese or Japanese origin, collected by C. C. Johnson Spink and Edith J. Spink from the 1970s through the 1990s. The Museum formally received the collection by bequest in 2014.

Provenance Information

Bluett & Sons Ltd., London, England;

1983
C. C. Johnson Spink (1916–1992) and Edith J. Spink (1921–2011), St. Louis, MO, USA, purchased from Bluett & Sons Ltd.;

2014
Saint Louis Art Museum, bequest of Edith J. and C. C. Johnson Spink

Exhibition Information

None known

Publication Information

None known

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Gift or bequest expected or on loan prior to 2008

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

In a letter dated August 16, 1988, C.C. Johnson Spink wrote to a Hong Kong dealer explaining that his purchase was “destined for the St. Louis Art Museum” and that “the collection…will be given to the Museum at some future date.” This object was part of a collection of 215 works of Chinese or Japanese origin, collected by C. C. Johnson Spink and Edith J. Spink from the 1970s through the 1990s. The Museum formally received the collection by bequest in 2014.

Provenance Information

J. S. Lee [Lee Jung Sen; Li Rongsen (1915–2007)], Hong Kong;

1987
J. J. Lally & Co., New York, NY;

1987
C. C. Johnson Spink (1916–1992) and Edith J. Spink (1921–2011), purchased from J. J. Lally & Co.;

2014
Saint Louis Art Museum, bequest of Edith J. and C. C. Johnson Spink

Exhibition Information

None known

Publication Information

None known

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Gift or bequest expected or on loan prior to 2008

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

In a letter dated August 16, 1988, C.C. Johnson Spink wrote to a Hong Kong dealer explaining that his purchase was “destined for the St. Louis Art Museum” and that “the collection…will be given to the Museum at some future date.” This object was part of a collection of 215 works of Chinese or Japanese origin, collected by C. C. Johnson Spink and Edith J. Spink from the 1970s through the 1990s. The Museum formally received the collection by bequest in 2014.

Provenance Information

William L. McKim (1894–1977) and Charlotte B. McKim (1899–1977), Palm Beach, Florida;

1979/11/02
At auction, "Important Chinese Works of Art and Chinese Paintings," Sotheby Parke Bernet Inc., New York, November 2, 1979, lot no. 3;

C. C. Johnson Spink (1916–1992) and Edith J. Spink (1921–2011), St. Louis, MO;

2014
Saint Louis Art Museum, bequest of C.C. Johnson and Edith J. Spink

Exhibition Information

None known

Publication Information

None known

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Gift or bequest expected or on loan prior to 2008

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

In a letter dated August 16, 1988, C.C. Johnson Spink wrote to a Hong Kong dealer explaining that his purchase was “destined for the St. Louis Art Museum” and that “the collection…will be given to the Museum at some future date.” This object was part of a collection of 215 works of Chinese or Japanese origin, collected by C. C. Johnson Spink and Edith J. Spink from the 1970s through the 1990s. The Museum formally received the collection by bequest in 2014.