Mat Weight in the Form of a Bear
- Culture
- Chinese
- Date
- 1st century BCE–early 1st century CE
- Material
- Bronze with gilding
- Classification
- Metalwork, sculpture
- Collection
- Asian Art
- Current Location
- Not on view
- Dimensions
- 5 1/4 x 5 1/4 x 7 1/2 in. (13.3 x 13.3 x 19.1 cm)
- Credit Line
- Museum Purchase
- Rights
- Public Domain
- Object Number
- 35:1933
Provenance
- 1933
Wells Objects of Art, Inc. [C. Edward Wells (1898–1991)], New York, NY, USA [1]
1933 -
Saint Louis Art Museum, purchased from Wells Objects of Art, Inc. [2]
Notes:
[1] It is possible that Wells Objects of Art, Inc. may have owned "Bear" as early as 1932, since C. Edward Wells was in possession of a scholar's evaluation of the object from that year. However, the evaluation is addressed to a "Dr. Burchard," and not to Wells himself. "Dr. Burchard" refers to Otto Burchard (1892–1965), the proprietor of Dr. Otto Burchard & Co., a gallery originally established in Beijing, China, and later reestablished in Berlin, Germany [letter from John Ferguson to Dr. Burchard, October 4, 1932; letter from C. Edward Wells, November 2, 1933; SLAM document files].
[2] Invoice from Wells Objects of Art, Inc. dated November 10, 1933 [SLAM document files]. Minutes of the Administrative Board of Control of the City Art Museum, December 14, 1933.
Wells Objects of Art, Inc. [C. Edward Wells (1898–1991)], New York, NY, USA [1]
1933 -
Saint Louis Art Museum, purchased from Wells Objects of Art, Inc. [2]
Notes:
[1] It is possible that Wells Objects of Art, Inc. may have owned "Bear" as early as 1932, since C. Edward Wells was in possession of a scholar's evaluation of the object from that year. However, the evaluation is addressed to a "Dr. Burchard," and not to Wells himself. "Dr. Burchard" refers to Otto Burchard (1892–1965), the proprietor of Dr. Otto Burchard & Co., a gallery originally established in Beijing, China, and later reestablished in Berlin, Germany [letter from John Ferguson to Dr. Burchard, October 4, 1932; letter from C. Edward Wells, November 2, 1933; SLAM document files].
[2] Invoice from Wells Objects of Art, Inc. dated November 10, 1933 [SLAM document files]. Minutes of the Administrative Board of Control of the City Art Museum, December 14, 1933.
We regularly update records, which may be incomplete. If you have additional information, please contact us at provenance@slam.org.