Eight chinese bronze mirrors, Sui dynasty, West-Han dynasty, Xin Interregnum & Tang dynasty

A large and rare bronze mirror with mythical animals and long inscription, China, Sui dynasty (581-618 AD). photo courtesy Nagel

the very well cast silvery grey, very heavy mirror is decorated in high relief in the centre with a large knob with a hole to pass the silk cord. D. 24,1 cm - Estimate € 15 000 / 25 000

An excellent large and heavy "Lion and grapevine" mirror, Tang dynasty (618-907). photo courtesy Nagel

carefully and crisply cast in high relief with nine lion- or better marten-like animals among grapevine in the centre around a crouching "lion" as knob. D. 22,7 cm - Estimate € 10 000

Vgl. Xun, Fuxi (ed.), "Xi'an Wenwu Jinghua: Tongjing" ('Xi'an Wenwu Jinghua: Bronze Mirror'), Xi'an, Shijie tushu chuban Xi'an gongsi, 2008, no. 73

An eight-foliated barbed bronze mirror with bird design, China, middle to 2nd half Tang dynasty (618-907). photo courtesy Nagel

carefully cast in relief in the centre with a knob in shape of a crouched beast surrounded by four wild geese, two standing and two flying. D. 13,7 cm - Estimate € 9 000

Vgl. Xun, Fuxi (ed.), "Xi'an Wenwu Jinghua: Tongjing" ('Xi'an Wenwu Jinghua: Bronze Mirror'), Xi'an, Shijie tushu chuban Xi'an gongsi, 2008, no. 83

An excellennt "Lion and grapevine" mirror, Tang dynasty (618-907). photo courtesy Nagel

the heavy, excellently and crisply cast mirror with six lion-like animals and two peacocks among grapevine in the centre around a crouching "lion" as knob, enclosed by a band. D. 18,9 cm - Estimate € 5 000

Vgl. Shanghai Museum (ed.), Ancient bronze mirrors from the Shanghai Museum, Shanghai, 2005, No. 86

A bronze mirror with comic symbols and a short inscription, China, Western Han dynasty (206 BC-9 AD). photo courtesy Nagel

the very well cast slightly shiny dark grey mirror is decorated in the centre with a mountain shaped button surrounded by eight and four more nipples. D. 15,6 cm - Estimate € 2 500

Vgl. Xun, Fuxi (ed.), "Xi'an Wenwu Jinghua: Tongjing" ('Xi'an Wenwu Jinghua: Bronze Mirror'), Xi'an, Shijie tushu chuban Xi'an gongsi, 2008, no. 20

A fine bronze TLV-type mirror with Daoist immortal and mythical animals, China, Xin Interregnum (9-25) or Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD). photo courtesy Nagel

the crisply cast dark grey mirror is decorated with 12 nipples, symbolizing the twelve Earthly Branches of the Chine. D. 14,3 cm - Estimate € 1 500

A very small bronze mirror with inscription, China, probably West-Han dynasty (201 BC-9 AD). photo courtesy Nagel

the dark grey mirror is decorated in light relief with a band with a very stylised inscription as main décor, surrounded by a small band with hatched design. D. 5,8 cm - Estimate € 700

Provenance: Ehemals Arthur M. Sackler Collection

- Cf. Shanghai Museum (ed.), Ancient bronze mirrors from the Shanghai Museum, Shanghai: Shanghai Museum, 2005, no. 35

Nagel Auktionen. Asian Art. November 5th 2010 www.auction.de