Tang Dynasty (618 - 907)
Diameter: 7 inches (17.8 cm)
With eight foliate styled lobes, the back of the mirror is decorated with a band of flying insects, floral and plant relief between raised lines, one at the edge and another separating the outer border from the main body of decoration. The central body depicts alternating creatures, including Buddhist lions and birds, amongst stylized foliage. At the very center there is a round pierced knob to hold a string or cord. On the other side the thickly cast mirror is plain and lustrous due to the attractive silvery bronze which covers the entire mirror, having a soft patina with some green and small areas of cuprite encrustation.
Highlights
Provenance: Private Canadian Collection Michael B. Weisbrod, Inc., at the Carlyle Private Collection, Hong Kong (1980’s)
Reference Pieces
A similarly designed mirror with insects and eight lobed rim was sold at Christie’s New York on March 22nd 2012, sale 2658, lot number 1447. Another lobed mirror with Qilin, phoenix, and goat was sold in Bonham’s Fine Asian Works of Art San Francisco on December 20th 2011, auction 19433, lot number 8207.