A LARGE BRONZE MIRROR WITH A 37-CHARACTER INSCRIPTION, HAN DYNASTY, CHINA, 206 BC-220 AD

Inscription: ‘
Yelian tonghua qing er ming, yi zhi weijing, yi wenzhang, changsheng yishou qu buxiang, yutian changjiu er riguang, qianwan sui xi leweiyang’ (The bronze mirror we made is clear and shiny. With such a mirror, you will be blessed with a long life, and it will ward off bad luck. We wish you a long life as long as heaven and earth, and eternal joy and happiness).


Expert’s note
: Inscribed bronze mirrors with bullet proof provenance, such and extensive and detailed inscription, and in such excellent condition overall, must be considered as exceedingly rare.

The central knop rising from quatrefoil lotus petals, encircled by an eight-pointed star, surrounded by ancient cult symbols and decorated with an outer band holding the 37-character inscription in high relief, all within a sawtooth border on the rim. The circular bronze with a rich, naturally grown patina with malachite and cuprite encrustations.


Provenance:
Galerie Themis, Brussels, April 23, 1952 (according to an ancient family ledger inspected by Cabinet Portier, Paris, France, during their appraisal of the complete de Strycker estate; this ledger remains in the possession of the de Strycker family and may not be copied). Collection of Robert and Isabelle de Strycker, acquired from the above and thence by descent in the same family. The obverse with two old labels, one reading ‘MBR no. 174 Epoque Han. 20630. Chine,’ and the accompanying display stand with two inscriptions on the reverse. Robert de Strycker (1903-1968) was a French engineer who specialized in metallurgy. He was a Stanford graduate, a professor at the University of Leuven, a director of the Institute of Metallurgy at the Université Catholique de Louvain, and one of the most influential members of the faculty of applied sciences. After World War II, he made large contributions to France’s post-war recovery. Robert and his wife Isabelle (1915-2010) first encountered Chinese art at the British Museum during a stay in London in the 1930s. Enamored with the style and beauty, they both decided to study and collect Chinese works of art. In 1938 they eventually began to build their collection, buying from Belgian, Parisian, and English dealers. They kept close contact with the famous English collector Sir Harry Garner (1891-1977) and noted Czech collector and expert Fritz Low-Beer (1906-1976). In 1964, the couple lent 174 objects from their collection to the Belgian city of Leuven’s museum for an exhibition titled Oude kunst in Leuvens Privébezit (‘Old Art in Private Collections in Leuven’), and in 1967, they lent around thirty Japanese objects to the Royal Museums of Art and History in Brussels for their exhibition Kunst van Japan im belgischen Privatverzameingen (‘Japanese Art in Belgian Private Collections’).

Condition:
Superb condition with only minor old wear and some weathering, encrustations, scratches to the rim, and nicks, all exactly as expected from an ancient bronze mirror. Magnificent, naturally grown patina with fine cuprite and malachite encrustations.

Weight: 875.2 (excl. stand)
Dimensions: Diameter 18.4 cm

With a fitted wooden display stand wrapped in fabric, dating to around 1952. (2)


Literature comparison:

Compare a closely related bronze mirror, 14 cm diameter, dated to 2nd-1st century BC, in the National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, accession number S 2012.9.1756. Compare a related bronze mirror, 13 cm diameter, dated 2nd-1st century BC, in the National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, accession number 2012.9.2103. Compare a closely related bronze mirror, 18.8 cm diameter, dated to the Han dynasty, in the British Museum, registration number 1957,1119.1.


Auction result comparison:

Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 20 March 2015, lot 718
Price: USD 16,250 or approx.
EUR 19,500
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A bronze circular mirror with inscription, late Western to early Eastern Han Dynasty
Expert remark: Note the near-identical size (18.9 cm) and design, showing a different inscription.


Auction result comparison:

Type: Related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 22 March 2012, lot 1425
Price: USD 122,500 or approx.
EUR 152,000
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A silvery bronze circular mirror with inscription, Western Han dynasty
Expert remark: Note the size (19 cm).




漢代長樂銘文銅鏡


青銅圓鏡，中央圓鏡鈕，由內至外分別為四葉形蓮瓣紋、條紋、八角星鳥紋、條紋以及一圈銘文，以及一圈條紋與幾何線條紋。自然包漿，孔雀石綠色及赤褐色結殼。


銘文：
冶煉銅華清而明，以之為鏡，宜文章，長生益壽去不祥，與天長久而日光，千萬嵗兮樂未央


專家注釋：
銘文銅鏡，銘文如此詳盡，整體品相如此優良，實屬罕見。


來源：
布魯塞爾Themis藝廊，1952年4月23日 (根據法國巴黎 Cabinet Portier 在對整個 de Strycker 莊園進行評估時檢查過的一份家族帳本所記載；該帳本仍由 de Strycker 家族所有，不得複製)。Robert與Isabelle de Strycker收藏，購於上述藝廊，在同一家族保存至今。正面有兩個老標籤，一個上可見 ‘MBR no. 174 Epoque Han. 20630. Chine,’ 以及附帶的展示架背面有兩個款識。Robert de Strycker (1903-1968) 是一位法國冶金工程師。他畢業於史丹佛大學，曾是魯汶大學教授，同時也是魯汶天主教大學冶金研究所所長，是應用科學學院最有影響力的成員之一。二戰後，他為法國的戰後復興做出了巨大貢獻。Robert與他的妻子Isabelle （1915-2010）於 上世紀三十年代在大英博物館首次接觸到中國藝術。因爲其風格和美感所吸引，他們決定研究和收藏中國藝術品。1938 年，他們開始建立自己的收藏，從比利時、巴黎和英國經銷商處購買。他們與英國著名收藏家Harry Garner爵士（1891-1977）和捷克著名收藏家兼專家Fritz Low-Beer (1906-1976）保持著密切聯繫。1964 年，這對夫婦將他們收藏的 174 件物品借給了比利時魯汶市博物館，用於一場名為 Oude kunst in Leuvens Privébezit（“魯汶私人收藏中的藝術”）的展覽，1967 年，他們將大約30件日本藝術品借給了布魯塞爾皇家藝術與歷史博物館的展覽 Kunst van Japan im belgischen Privatverzameingen（“比利時私人收藏中的日本藝術”）。

品相：
狀況極佳，只有輕微磨損和一些風化、結殼、邊緣劃痕和刻痕。自然包漿，帶有美麗的紅色綠色結殼。

重量：875.2 (不含底座)
尺寸：直徑18.4 釐米

配有一個用織物包裹的木製展示架，其歷史可以追溯到1952年。 (2)


文獻比較：

比較一件非常相近的西元前二至一世紀銅鏡，直徑14 厘米，收藏於史密森學會國立亞洲藝術博物館，館藏編號S 2012.9. 1756。比較一件相近西元前二至一世紀銅鏡，直徑13 厘米，收藏於史密森學會國立亞洲藝術博物館，館藏編號2012.9. 2103。比較一件非常相近的漢代銅鏡，直徑18.8 厘米，收藏於大英博物館，館藏編號1957,1119.1。


拍賣結果比較：

形制：非常相近
拍賣：紐約佳士得，2015年3月20日，lot 718
價格：USD 16,250（相當於今日
EUR 19,500
）
描述：西漢晚期/東漢早期長宜子孫銘連弧紋銅鏡
專家評論：請注意幾乎相近的尺寸(18.9 厘米) 、設計，但款識不同。


拍賣結果比較：

形制：相近
拍賣：紐約佳士得，2012年3月22日，lot 1425
價格：USD 122,500（相當於今日
EUR 152,000
）
描述：西漢多乳獸鳥紋銘文鍍銀銅鏡
專家評論：請注意尺寸(19 厘米)。