A very rare large parcel-gilt bronze circular mirror. Song Dynasty or later
A very rare large parcel-gilt bronze circular mirror. Song Dynasty or later. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd 2012
The heavy, thick mirror finely cast with five mythical beasts shown amidst grapevine while a sixth horned, crouching beast forms the knob in the center, with six further beasts and birds amidst grapevine in the outer field between narrow borders of foliate scroll, the animals and birds gilded; 11 5/16 in. (28.7 cm.) diam., 7/16 in. (1 cm.) thick, box - 4146.4g. Estimate $20,000 - $30,000
宋或以後 局部鎏金瑞獸葡萄紋銅鏡
Provenance: Dr. med. G. Preuss, no. 529.
Robert H. Ellsworth Collection, New York, acquired in Hong Kong, 1990.
Notes: Compare the mirror of similar type and smaller size (17.1 cm.) of Tang dynasty date illustrated in Zhongguo Qingtongqi Quanji - 16 - Bronze Mirrors, Beijing, 1998, pp. 136-7, no. 133.
Christie's. Luminous Perfection: Fine Chinese Mirrors from the Robert H. Ellsworth Collection, 22 March 2012. New York, Rockefeller Plaza