Page 69 - C.T. Loo A paper about his impact and activities in the Chinese art Market

69

most unique piece that we can imagine from the pottery world. The photo is not a good

103
one and does not show the real beauty of expression or color of the figure” (Fig. 18).
Loo often traveled internationally with important objects to meet his clients. The

transaction of the stone shrine (MFA 22.380) and the famous Duanfang bronze altar

(MFA 22.407) between Loo and the MFA offer a good example (Fig.17, 6). On October

13, 1921, Loo notified curator Lodge, “The shrine has left Paris and is going to be the

steamer leaving Le Havre the 15 th inst. So the stones may be in New York about the 25

th, and I am sailing on the 22 nd. On S.S. Paris, I might be there on the 30 th. In the mean

time I have instructed Miss Wheildon to ship the shrine directly to your honorable

museum from the Customs. This will give you all the time necessary to examine stones at

your leisure.” 104 Upon his arrival in New York on October 28, Loo expressed his wish to

105
examine with Lodge the stone temple and the bronze altar.

Another selling technique was to make his clients believe that they were the first

persons to see the objects or to receive the offer. Loo was aware that collectors preferred

to acquire objects that had never been owned by other collectors before. This technique

not only made his customers feel privileged, but also conveyed the message of freshness,

uniqueness and genuineness of the object he offered. Loo, for example, mentioned a pair

of objects with animal motifs to John D. Rockefeller Jr., “…because of our troubles last

year with the Chinese government, we have kept them without showing to any body

103 C. T. Loo to JDR Jr. April 27, 1916, JDR Jr. to C. T. Loo, November 22, 1932, folder
1370, C. T. Loo 1916-1949, box 137, OMR-RAC.
104
C. T. Loo to J.E. Lodge, October 13, 1921, folder: Lai-Yuan Co., box: Unofficial
Correspondence L, 1910-1922, AAOA-MFA.
105 C. T. Loo to J.E. Lodge, dated Sunday (October 31, 1921) folder: Lai-Yuan Co., box:
Unofficial Correspondence L, 1910-1922, AAOA-MFA.