Lot 1123. A bronze figural mirror, Eastern Han dynasty (25-220); 8 7/8 in. (22.6 cm.) diam. Estimate USD 9,000 - USD 11,000. Price Realised USD 50,000. © Christie's Image Ltd 2011.

The large knob surrounded by a narrow decorative band and an outer field of four seated immortals surrounded by numerous Daoist figures, dignitaries, entertainers, four nipples encircled by beaded borders, and four brief inscriptions, all crisply cast within a hatchured band below dogtooth and cloud bands on the canted rim, the outer edge also canted, with mottled dark silvery grey and milky olive patina. 

Provenance: Acquired in Palm Springs, California, November 1996. 

Lot 1124. A silvery bronze 'TLV' circular mirror,Western Han dynasty(206 BC-AD 8); 6½ in. (16.5 cm.) diam., Japanese wood box. Estimate USD20,000 - USD30,000. Price realised USD 60,000. © Christie's Images Ltd., 2011

 Crisply cast, the central knob within a square border of twelve small nipples separating characters representing the zodiac, with eight further nipples in the outer field arranged within the T, L and V motifs and various animals and birds, as well as a Daoist immortal, within a narrow hatchured border, all below bands of dogtooth and cloud scroll on the rim, with silvery patina and some malachite encrustation. 

Provenance: Acquired in Tokyo in the 1970s.

Lot 1130. A silvery bronze mirror, Eastern Han dynasty (25-220); 7 3/8 in. (18.7 cm.) diam. Estimate USD10,000 - USD12,000. Price realised USD 21,250. © Christie's Images Ltd., 2011

The knob encircled by a band of nine bosses joined by leafy tendrils, hatchured and plain bands, and an outer field of seven roundels with a central nipple that alternate with a seated Daoist immortal and six divine beasts and birds, all within another hatchured border below dogtooth and zigzag bands on the rim, with added silvery patination on some of the decoration, with silvery grey patina and some blue-green and ferrous encrustation.

Provenance: Acquired in Palm Springs, California, November 1996.                                

Note: A mirror of this type in the Donald H. Graham, Jr. Collection is illustrated by Toru Nakano, Bronze Mirrors from Ancient China, 1994, pp. 148-9. The author describes the seven nipples within a continuous arc roundel as "miniaturized mirrors" representing seven children, while the nine nipples "signify nine grandchildren." The combination of the various motifs most likely conveys a wish for longevity and numerous children and grandchildren. As with the present mirror, areas of the decoration are highlighted by added silvery patination. Another related mirror is illustrated in Ancient Bronze Mirrors in the National Museum of History, Taipei, 1996, pp. 96-7. 

Lot 1132. A bronze octolobed mirror, Tang dynasty (618-907); 5 1/8 in. (13 cm.) diam., box. Estimate USD10,000 - USD12,000. Price realised USD 12,500. ©  Christie's Images Ltd., 2011

Cast in relief with two figures flanking the central knob, with Confucius holding a staff on the left and the hermit Rong Qiqi possibly holding a sword and clad in a deerskin on the right, with an inscription, Rong Qiqi wen yue de Kong Fu Ziin a panel above and a willow tree below, all within the lobed rim, with silvery grey patina. 

Provenance: Acquired in Hong Kong, 1991.
The Tsui Museum of Art.

Lot 1133. A silvery bronze octolobed mirror, Tang dynasty (618-907); 6 1/8 in. (15.6 cm.) across. Estimate USD 7,000 - USD 9,000. Price realised USD 30,000. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd., 2011

Cast in relief with a scaly, three-clawed dragon leaping amidst vaporous clouds, its head turned and jaws open as if to grasp the central knob, with silvery patina and areas of green encrustation. 

Provenance: Acquired in Palm Springs, California, November 1996.

Note: The type of dragon seen on this mirror, with its distinct features including the elongated, horned head, long neck, legs set wide apart, and tail wrapped around the left back leg, appears to be unique to the Tang dynasty. It can be seen on large mirrors which began to appear around the mid-8th century. Another larger (27.8 cm.) eight-lobed mirror finely cast with a similar dragon striding amidst vaporous clouds, but within a line border in the Donald H. Graham, Jr. Collection, is illustrated by Toru Nakano, Bronze Mirrors from Ancient China, Hong Kong, 1994, pp. 238-9, no. 89. As with the present mirror, the dragon's jaws are opened wide as if to grasp the central knob. 

Lot 1142. A rare bronze mirror, Three Kingdoms-Western Jin, 3rd-4th century; 6¾ in. (17.3 cm.) diam. Estimate USD 4,000 - USD 6,000. Price realised USD 7,500. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd., 2011

With a large flattened knob surrounded by four petal-shaped cartouches enclosing two dragons, a deer and a man with a spear seated on an elephant, separated by paired confronted phoenixes, all within an outer scalloped border enclosing various animals and birds, and all reserved on hatchured grounds, with mottled grey and milky-green patina, box.

Provenance: Acquired in Hong Kong, 1990.