Page 66 - C.T. Loo A paper about his impact and activities in the Chinese art Market

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best pieces to every visitor. Some of his Chinese pieces were hidden away in the cellar.

He showed them only to those he believed to have real understanding of Chinese art.”

(Heydt 1957, 186)

In Loo’s dealing, the key to a successful sale was to identify prospective buyers and

pair them with objects based on their preferences, buying power, and market conditions.

In the late 1930s and early 1940s, the most valuable bronzes, for example, were offered

to top museums and tycoon collectors, including the FGA, Met, A. Pillsbury, and G. L.

Winthrop. The bronze vessel gui priced $10, 500 and $10,000, for example, was offered

first to Winthrop, then to the Freer, and the MFA, as the inventory card shows.

∗ “L 19/41
∗ 87062 Inv.c –38-Nov.40 SH$: CVPPP

96
95
∗ Bronze kuei Shang 3000
∗ 1941 Jan, 2nd sold to Winthrop for $10,500
∗ 1941 Jan 6 returned from Mr. Winthrop

∗ 1941 Jan 17 taken by Mr. Loo to Mr. Lodge $10,500

∗ Bronze KUEI with two ram’s head handles. Masks of T’ao t’ieh in deep casting.
Black patina. Shang.

∗ 1941 Jan 20 returned from Freer

∗ 1941 Feb 28 th taken by Mr. Loo to Boston $10000
∗ 1941 Marc on app at Boston Museum for $10000

∗ 1941 May returned broken

∗ 1942 April 7 Mr. Loo took it to Boston

∗ 1942 April 10 ret. from Boston
97

∗ 1942 May 1 sold to Mr. Winthrop for $7000 (?).”

95 It was crossed out.
96 It was marked with a circle.