AN OCTAFOIL BRONZE MIRROR, TANG DYNASTY
China, 618-907. Crisply cast in linghua shape (water chestnut flower), the pierced knob surrounded by four animals shown in lively positions as they frolic atop a flowering scroll, all within the raised inner edge of the outer band of eight barbed lobes with alternating butterflies and foliate sprays.

Provenance: Purchased by the current vendors late father in the 1960’s from the George Family. By repute it was collected by the British officer Robin George during the Boxer rebellion, and thence by descent through his family.
Condition: Natural, lustrous grey patina with malachite encrustations. Minor losses to rim.

Weight: 512.1 grams
Dimensions: Diameter 17.2 cm

The four animals on this mirror are particularly expressive as they leap amidst the stems of the flower scroll. They are also unusual in the depiction of the tufts of hair detailing their legs, heads, bodies, and long tails.

Literature comparison: The unusual positions of some of the animals are similar to those seen in animals chased on the silver back of a bronze mirror (linghua type) of Tang date, illustrated in the exhibition catalogue, Tang Mirrors, Sen-Oku Hakuko Kan, Kyoto, 2006, p. 43, no. 55.

Auction result comparison: Compare with a closely related mirror sold by Christies New York, 22nd March 2012, in Luminous Perfection: Fine Chinese Mirrors from the Robert H. Ellsworth Collection, lot 1459.

唐代八菱銅鏡
中國，618-907。銅鏡成菱花形，鏡鈕周圍環繞著四隻瑞獸，八角上可見 蝴蝶與花葉。

來源：現藏家已故父親 1960年代從喬治家族購得，保存至今。喬治家族中 Robin George曾是英國將官，義和團運動時期在中國。
品相：天然包漿，孔雀石色結殼。邊緣處輕微材料遺失。

重量： 512.1 克
尺寸： 直徑17.2 厘米