Page 110 - C.T. Loo A paper about his impact and activities in the Chinese art Market

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wives, including Alan Priest and Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Hobby were guests at the

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cocktail farewell party for Loo’s daughter and her husband. The business
correspondence between Tomita and Loo contains personal notes such as greetings to

their family. In 1937 Loo wrote to Tomita to thank him for his assistance in the

transaction of two stone doors, “I want specially to express to you my warm thanks for

your kind purchase of the stone doors, I certainly appreciate your help in this matter and I

wish to tell you how much I value your unfailing friendship.” 237

Information Exchange

With its research, conservation facilities and contacts in the art world, the museum

served as an important source of information for Loo. Loo carefully studied museum

collections and curators’ publications. Loo, for instance, visited the MFA to view the

famous Nine Dragons scroll by Chen Rong, and requested photographs of this

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painting. Loo expressed his desire to collect Tomita’s publication, “…I hope that, in
future, you will let us have anything you are going to publish or have already published

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on Chinese art, which we always need for our library.”

The museum could offer Loo information about his objects’ age, authenticity, and

condition. In 1947 Loo sent to the MFA three bronze objects, a ding, a gu, and a knife, on

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C. T. Loo to F. H. Taylor, Jan 14, 1941, folder Loo, C.T. L. 871, MetA.
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It possibly refers to MFA 37.248, 37. 249. For more information, see correspondence
between C. T. Loo, Wheildon and the MFA, February 11, 28, 1937, folder C. T. Loo,
box: I to L, 1936-1947, AAOA-MFA. C. T. Loo to K. Tomita, April 6, 1937, folder C. T.
Loo, box: I to L, 1936-1947, AAOA-MFA.
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F. S. Kershaw to C. T. Loo, January 18, 1917, folder: Lai-Yuan Co., box: Unofficial
Correspondence L, 1910-1922, AAOA-MFA.
239 C. T. Loo to K. Tomita, May 7, 1947, Folder C. T. Loo, box: I to L, 1936-1947,
AAOA-MFA.