The Bishop collection: investigations and studies in jade

Various artists/makers

Not on view

The Catalogue of the Bishop Collection

The Bishop Collection. Investigations and Studies in Jade, a catalogue of Heber R. Bishop’s collection, was completed in 1906, four years after he bequeathed more than a thousand pieces of jade to the Metropolitan. Massive in size, the two volumes measure twenty-six by nineteen inches each and weigh seventy and fifty-five pounds, respectively. The books document Bishop’s entire collection and cover an extensive variety of subjects, ranging from the physical properties of jade and how it was worked and used in many parts of the world, to its archaeological history. The catalogue was printed privately in a limited run of one hundred copies, which were presented to the heads of states in Europe and Asia, including the Emperor of China, and to important public institutions and libraries. A testament to his passion for the art of jade carving, this monumental work also exemplifies Bishop’s remarkable generosity that continues to benefit this institution and the public.

A selection of the contents and illustrations of the catalogue are now available on the Museum’s website.

The Bishop collection: investigations and studies in jade, De Vinne Press (American, New York)

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Front cover