Lot 68A
China, Tang Dynasty, ca. 618 to 907 CE. A circular bronze mirror, cast in both low and high relief, with a turtle-shaped knob or boss encircled by a beautiful scene filled with flora and fauna including a pair of long-legged cranes, another turtle, verdant foliage, cascading eddies of water, and billowing clouds. This scene continues to the outer field. Beyond this, the bronze boasts a gorgeous green patina, and the lustrous and reflective polished, silvered verso is simply breathtaking, having developed green and blue green hues (the colors of planet earth) over the silvered surface. Beyond reflecting one's face, scholarship shows that the purpose of an ancient bronze mirror was to reflect one's heart and soul as well as to reflect the sun and ward off evil associated with darkness. According to Chinese cosmology, the central boss of the mirror (in this case representing a turtle) was believed to represent the earth (center of the universe). The remarkable scene surrounding the turtle - occupied by birds, foliage, waves and/or clouds - quite poignantly represents earth, sea, and sky when viewed together. Size: 8.375" in diameter (21.3 cm)
Ancient Chinese bronze mirrors are particularly desirable among discerning collectors. A similar example created during the Tang Dynasty, though with a lion and grapevine motif, realized $47,500 at Christie's, New York, 21-22 March 2013. Follow this link for comparison: http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/furniture-lighting/a-bronze-lion-and-grapevine-mirror-tang-5661870-details.aspx
Provenance: Ex-Private Orange County, CA collection
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
#118313
- Condition: Some surface wear and scratches with small nicks to peripheries and areas of encrustation. Gorgeous green patina. Stunning reflective verso with silvery green patina.
Accepted Forms of Payment:
Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Shipping
All payments are due at the fall of the hammer unless otherwise specified. Please be aware of this. Most likely the card on file at auction registration will be charged for purchases, buyer premium and any other applicable fees. Late payments are subject to fees and penalties at the discretion of the Auction House. Be aware that invoice delinquency WILL lead to disabling of a bidder account and making all bidding unavailable through this online service. Payments unpaid or late will result in the account being sent to a collections agency. This can affect your overall credit scores for up to 7 years. Your bidder registration has been researched before approval for bidding at auction. The card provided on file was verified for identity purposes prior to approval. Lastly, chargeback's will not be accepted for any reason or on any purchase through this online service. No exceptions.
All property is sold "AS IS", and ALL SALES ARE FINAL. It is the Bidder's responsibility to determine condition, age, genuineness, value or any other determinative factor. Jacksons Auction & Real Estate Company may attempt to describe the merchandise in advertising, on the Internet and at the auction but makes no representations. In no event shall Jacksons Auction & Real Estate Company be held responsible for having made or implied any warranty of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. Bidder shall be the sole judge of value.
Bidders who bid from off site and are not present at the live auction or preview understand and acknowledge that they may not be able to inspect an item as well as if they examined it in person. It is the Bidder's responsibility to determine condition, age, genuineness, value or any other determinative factor. Jacksons Auction & Real Estate Company shall endeavor to describe in detail each item and any pertinent information about it. Jacksons Auction & Real Estate Company will not be responsible for any errors or omissions in the description of the merchandise unless it is a material and intentional misrepresentation of the item itself. Bidder agrees that everything is sold as is and that they may not return any item they purchase. Jacksons Auction & Real Estate Company is providing Internet pre-auction and live bidding as a service to Bidder. Bidder acknowledges and understands that this service may or may not function correctly the day of the auction. Under no circumstances shall Bidder have any kind of claim against Jacksons Auction & Real Estate Company or anyone else if the Internet service fails to work correctly before or during the live auction. Jacksons Auction & Real Estate Company will not be responsible for any missed bids from any source. Internet bidders who desire to make certain their bid is acknowledged should use the absentee bidding feature and leave their maximum bid 24 hours before the auction begins. Jacksons Auction & Real Estate Company reserves the right to withdraw or re-catalog items in this auction.
Artemis Fine Arts
You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 24.5% and any applicable taxes and shipping.
View full terms and conditions
| From: | To: | Increments: |
|---|---|---|
| $0 | $299 | $25 |
| $300 | $999 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $1,999 | $100 |
| $2,000 | $4,999 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $9,999 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $19,999 | $1,000 |
| $20,000 | $49,999 | $2,000 |
| $50,000 | $99,999 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $199,999 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 + | $25,000 |