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

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.

Provenance Information

- 1998
Caseset Limited (Anthony Carter), London, England;

1998 - 2014
Edith J. Spink, St. Louis, MO, USA, purchased from Caseset Limited;

2014 -
Saint Louis Art Museum, by bequest of 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

- 1998
Caseset Limited (Anthony Carter), London, England

1998 -
Edith J. Spink (1921–2011), St. Louis, MO, USA, purchased from Caseset Limited

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

n.d. - 1950 private collection, Chengdu, China; 1950 - 2008 collection of George William Skinner, Davis, CA (purchased from private Chinese collection); 2008 – 2009 estate of George William Skinner, Davis, CA; 2009 Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, Cornell University, Ithaca (bequest of George William Skinner)

Exhibition Information

To the best of our knowledge, the object has not yet been exhibited.

Publication Information

To the best of our knowledge, the object has not yet been published.

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

Informed judgement that works were outside of the country of modern discovery before 1970

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

The donor completed fieldwork in Chengdu, China in 1950, as noted in a interview, which is on file. This object was purchased during this time.

Provenance Information

n.d. - 1989 collection of Reach family, London; (1989 with Eskenazi Ltd., London (on consignment from Reach family)); 1989 – 2009 collection of Dr. and Mrs. Marvin L. Gordon, San Francisco (purchased through Eskenazi Ltd.); (2009 with J. J. Lally & Co., New York (on consignment from Dr. and Mrs. Marvin L. Gordon)); 2009 Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, Cornell University, Ithaca (purchased through J. J. Lally & Co.)

Exhibition Information

Eskenazi Ltd., London, Chinese Art from the Reach Family Collection, December 8 - 22, 1989

J. J. Lally & Co., New York, The Collection of Dr. and Mrs. Marvin L. Gordon: Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, March 12 - April 14, 2009

Publication Information

Eskenazi Ltd. Chinese Art from the Reach Family Collection, December 8 - 22, 1989 [a sale cat.]. (London: Eskenazi Ltd., 1989); ref. n.p., illus. n.p., cat. no. 19. [catalogued as "Stoneware Bowl"]

J. J. Lally & Co. The Collection of Dr. and Mrs. Marvin L. Gordon: Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, March 12 - April 14, 2009 [a sale cat.]. (New York: J. J. Lally & Co., 2009); ref. n.p., color illus. n.p., cat. no. 50.

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

Prior to our acquiring this object, it had been in a couple prominent private collections and was previously published as part of those collections.

Furthermore, although the Museum’s collection is strong across ancient Chinese ceramics, there are only a few pieces of this period and style represented in our collection, and significant examples of this specific form of Northern Song black-glazed tea bowl are rare. It is an exceptional object and demonstrates the importance of this medium and form in the Northern Song culture, particularly when held in dialogue with similar objects from other dynasties and/or cultures.