An unusual silvery-bronze archaic mirror. Western Han Dynasty. The underside completely plain and polished to a rich sheen, the top elaborately cast around the plain boss with an unusual decoration including mythical animals, kneeling figures and birds in a complex interlocking arrangement, within a band containing a long crisply-cast shallow-relief inscription (some encrustation around the sides), fitted box. 13.7cm (5½in) diam. (2). Estimate: £3,000 - 5,000

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Bonhams New Bond Street. Fine Chinese Art, 5 Nov 2007 www.bonhams.com