Page 68 - C.T. Loo A paper about his impact and activities in the Chinese art Market

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instance, the incense burner that Loo sold to A. Pillsbury in 1939 was dispatched to Paris

in 1934, 1937 and 1938. 101 In 1927, unable to sell his archaic jade collection as a lot in

the U.S., Loo brought it to London and made an exhibition there, which resulted in the

dispersal of the collection in England (Loo 1950, Preface). Loo would also wait for the

best occasion to sell his objects. Knowing his potential buyers were flocking to visit the

epoch-making International Exhibition of Chinese Art in London, Loo timely launched a

sale/exhibition there in 1935, featuring “…an extensive and varied collection of fine

products in bronze, pottery and porcelain, many of which vie in importance with those

now at Burlington House”. 102

Once prospective buyers were identified, Loo approached them by letters, sent them

photographs and catalogues, or invited them to come to his galleries or exhibitions to see

the actual objects. One of Loo’s selling techniques was to show important objects to his

clients in person. Loo, for instance, invited John D. Rockefeller, Jr. to see the pottery

Lohan (Met 21.76), “…so I may better explain its full history to you. It is certainly the

101
Inventory card content
∗ “15347
∗ cat. No. 37 Inv. P-Oct-6-36-Mex $: hxppp
inv. P-2:cxpp
∗ (Ting -handwritten) bronze-brule-parfum, trepied avec couvercle, incrustations
argent Ching’sun 5 B.C. cxpxp
∗ 1934 Dec. 4 th on appro at Freer ((ret) cxpxp –may refer to Freer or Paris)
∗ 1937 6 mars, expedie a paris
∗ 1937 Nov. returned from paris
∗ 1938 Jan 7 th on appro at Freer 18000
∗ 1938 May 14 returned from freer
∗ 1938 May 18 sent to Paris
∗ 1938 Oct ret to New York Inv. P-11-sh$: chxpp
∗ 1939 Jan 24 sold to Mr. Pillsbury for 11000.” (Inventory cards 15347, FCA)
102 “Chinese Art in Mount Street,” Connoisseur, Vol. 97, No. 413 (January, 1936): 48.