A silvery bronze circular mirror with inscription. Mid Western Han dynasty,  2nd century BC. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd 2012

The central knob encircled by twelve small discs, hatchured and plain bands, eight joined arcs, and an inscription within further hatchured borders, all below the plain rim, with areas of malachite encrustation; 6¾ in. (17.1 cm.) diam., 5/16 in. (.7 cm.) thick, box  808.6g. Estimate $15,000 - $25,000. Price Realized $11,250

西漢中期 湅治銅華銘連弧紋鍍銀銅鏡

Provenance: Robert H. Ellsworth Collection, acquired from Alice Boney, Japan, 1960s. 

Notes: Similar mirrors are illustrated in Zhongguo Qingtongqi Quanji - 16 - Bronze Mirrors, Beijing, 1998, p. 51, no. 50; one from the Sumitomo Collection in the exhibition catalogue, Chinese Bronze Mirrors, Sen-Oku Hakuko Kan, 8 January - 6 March 2011, p. 21, no. 25; and in Ancient Bronze Mirrors from the Shanghai Museum of Art, Shanghai, 2005, pp. 148-9, no. 37. See, also, the similar mirror illustrated by Ju-hsi Chou, Circles of Reflection: The Carter Collection of Chinese Bronze Mirrors, The Cleveland Museum of Art, 2000, p. 37, no. 16. 

Christie's. Luminous Perfection: Fine Chinese Mirrors from the Robert H. Ellsworth Collection  . 22 March 2012. New York, Rockefeller Plaza