Return Pending for Deaccessioned Vietnamese Dagger and other Asian Artworks

By Lori Iliff

March 14, 2024

Lori Iliff is Senior Provenance Researcher at the Denver Art Museum.

The Denver Art Museum continues its collaboration with U.S. and foreign officials as part of its ongoing research into the provenance of works in its collections. In early 2023, museum officials contacted both U.S. and Vietnamese officials regarding an artwork in the museum’s collection—an antique bronze dagger, which has been deaccessioned and the museum has agreed to repatriate. The piece is one of 11 antiquities from Southeast Asia, listed below, that have been deaccessioned.

Green rusted dagger — *Dagger.* Dongson, 300 BCE – 200 CE, bronze, 9”H x 1 5/8” W. Gift of Emma C. Bunker, 2016.249.  
Known provenance: Collection of John B. [1926-2005] and Emma C. [1930-2021] Bunker, Wheatland, WY and Denver, CO [1]; Gifted to the Denver Art Museum, 2016. 
[1] on loan to the DAM starting August 2004. Deaccessioned from the DAM collection in March 2023.

In September 2023, the Denver Art Museum responded to a letter from Vietnam to U.S. officials that outlined four artworks the country wished to have returned. One of the artworks referenced in the letter, a bronze dagger, had already been deaccessioned from the museum’s collection in March 2023. The letter enabled the museum to confirm the nation of origin for the dagger and is in the process of ensuring its return to Vietnam. The other three objects requested in the letter from Vietnam are not in the DAM’s collection, nor do they appear to have ever been at the museum. The DAM has communicated these details directly to officials in Vietnam so they may take their research into these artworks in a new direction. 

The dagger is one of eleven antiquities deaccessioned by the museum in March 2023 that had connections to Emma Bunker, including five that were part of an agreement to name a gallery for the Bunker family. Other objects on this list that came to the museum from Ms. Bunker also had secondary connections to the indicted art dealer, Douglas Latchford. All of the objects below have since been offered for return to their countries of origin through the U.S. government.

These deaccessions are the result of ongoing research into works in the Denver Art Museum’s collections connected to Bunker and the Bunker family, and that research continues. All objects that came to the museum from Ms. Bunker or the Bunker family are posted online in the museum’s permanent collection listings, which can be found in the online collection. All items in the museum’s collection from Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam also are available for public review in the online collection listings.

The Denver Art Museum continues its ongoing work to support its commitment to ethical collecting practices and engages in detailed provenance research for potential acquisitions as well as objects currently in its collection. The museum created a Provenance Research Department in 2022 to expand its capacity for this important work, including engaging in conversations with nations of origin and U.S. officials, to increase its knowledge around the objects in its collections. For more information and for updates about these efforts, please visit the museum’s Provenance Research information page at www.denverartmuseum.org/provenance. 

Additional artworks deaccessioned in March 2023 and returned in September 2024:

Bronze sculpture of a female figure holding a torch — *Prajnaparamita (figure).* Khmer, Cambodia. Late 12th century, bronze, 8”H x 3”W. Gift of Mrs. Emma Bunker, 2016.248. Known provenance: Collection of Mr. and Mrs. John B. [1926-2005] and Emma Bunker [1930-2021], Wheatland, WY and Denver, CO; Gifted to the Denver Art Museum in 2016 on loan since 2004. Deaccessioned from the DAM collection in March 2023.

Vishnu bronze sculpture from Cambodia — Vishnu Defeating Two Asuras (finial). Khmer, Cambodia, Angkor period. 12th century, bronze, 9 ¾"H x 7”W. Gift or Mrs. Emma C. Bunker, 2016.250. Known provenance: *Collection of Mr. and Mrs. John B. [1926-2005] and Emma Bunker [1930-2021], Wheatland, WY and Denver, CO; Gifted to the Denver Art Museum in 2016 and on loan since 2004.* Deaccessioned from the DAM collection in March 2023.

Bronze seated Buddha figure — *Seated Buddha with Snake Muchalinda (figure).* Khmer, Thailand. 12th century, bronze, 10 ½”H. Gift of Mrs. Emma C. Bunker, 2016.251. Known provenance: Collection of Mr. and Mrs. John B. [1926-2005] and Emma Bunker [1930-2021], Wheatland, WY and Denver, CO; Gifted to the Denver Art Museum in 2016 and on loan since 2004. Deaccessioned from the DAM collection in March 2023.

Seated bronze religious figure — *Bodhisattva (sculpture).* Thailand. 8th century to 9th century, bronze, 4 ¾"H x 3 ¼"W. Gift of Ms. Emma C. Bunker, 2016.252. Known provenance: Collection of Mr. and Mrs. John B. [1926-2005] and Emma Bunker [1930-2021], Wheatland, WY and Denver, CO; Gifted to the Denver Art Museum in 2016 and on loan since 2004. Deaccessioned from the DAM collection in March 2023.

Standing bronze Buddha sculpture draped in royal clothing — *Standing Buddha in Royal Attire.* Thailand. About 1800, bronze, 52”H x 12 ¼"W. Gift of Ms. Emma C. Bunker, 2016.253A-E. Known provenance: Collection of Mr. and Mrs. John B. [1926-2005] and Emma Bunker [1930-2021], Wheatland, WY and Denver, CO; Gifted to the Denver Art Museum in 2016 and on loan since 2004. Deaccessioned from the DAM collection in March 2023.

Image of two jewelry items, a hook and a ring against a black backdrop — *Hook, ring (two items).* Khmer, Cambodia. 12^th century, bronze and iron, 12”H. Gift of Mrs. John B. Bunker, 2008.516.1 A-B. Known provenance: Douglas Latchford, purportedly acquired in River City Bangkok; (Spink and Son Ltd.), London; Collection of John B. [1926-2005] and Emma C. [1930-2021] Bunker, Wheatland, WY and Denver, CO, by late 1960s. Gifted to the Denver Art Museum, 2008. Deaccessioned from the DAM collection in March 2023.

Three bronze Buddha figures — *Buddhist triad.* Khmer, Cambodia. 13th century, bronze, 7 ½"H x 5 5/8”W. Gift of Mrs. John B. Bunker, 2009.341. Known provenance: Douglas Latchford, acquired in Bangkok (Spink and Son, Ltd.), London; Collection of John B. [1926-2005] and Emma C. [1930-2021] Bunker, Wheatland, WY and Denver, CO, by late 1960s. Gifted to Denver Art Museum 2009. Deaccessioned from the DAM collection in March 2023

Bronze sculpture of a figure riding a snake-like chariot — *Chariot Ornament.* Khmer, Cambodia or Thailand. 12th century, Bayon period, bronze, 7 ¼"H x 4 ½"W. Gift of Mrs. John B. Bunker, 2010.404. Known provenance: Pakpong Kraingsak (Douglas Latchford), Bangkok; Collection of John B. [1926-2005] and Emma C. [1930-2021] Bunker, Wheatland, WY and Denver, CO, 1996. Gifted to Denver Art Museum 2010. Deaccessioned from the DAM collection in March 2023.

Three figures atop a chariot ornament — *Chariot Ornament.* Khmer, Cambodia or Thailand. 12th century, Bayon period, bronze, 14 ½"H x 11”W. Gift of Mrs. John B. Bunker, 2010.405. Known provenance: Pakpong Kraingsak (Douglas Latchford), Bangkok; Collection of John B. [1926-2005] and Emma C. [1930-2021] Bunker, Wheatland, WY and Denver, CO, 1996. Gifted to Denver Art Museum 2010. Deaccessioned from the DAM collection in March 2023.