A SILVERED BRONZE 'LION AND GRAPEVINE' MIRROR, TANG DYNASTY
China, 618-907. The back is cast with six lions amid grapevines in high relief around the pierced and domed knob, encircled by a raised ridge with a neatly beaded edge, the outer field with four birds and four lions amid vines, all within a band of foliate scroll and a second beaded edge.

Provenance: From a French private collection.
Condition: Excellent condition with minor wear and casting flaws, signs of weathering, few minuscule nicks and dents, and occasional light scratches and losses. Fine, naturally grown patina with areas of intense malachite encrustation.

Weight: 1,424 g
Dimensions: Diameter 18 cm, Thickness 13 mm

The lion designs were first seen on bronze mirrors upon the introduction of Buddhism into China, and became very popular in the Tang period.

Literature comparison: Compare two very large examples (24 cm diam.) with similar decoration in the Shanghai Museum, illustrated in Shanghai Bowuguan cang qingtong jing, Shanghai, 1987, pls. 84-85.

Auction result comparison: Compare a closely related silvered bronze mirror (17.7 cm diameter), also dated to the Tang dynasty and of similar form and decoration, at Christie's New York in Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art on 22 March 2013, lot 1142, sold for USD 47,500. Note this mirror shows minute differences to the present lot, namely the animal-form knob, the detailed spines on the animals' backs, and the lack of the neatly beaded edges.

唐代海獸葡萄紋鎏銀銅鏡
中國，618-907年。圓形，伏獸鈕，弦紋高圈將鏡背紋飾分為內外兩區，內區高浮雕六隻獅子環繞鏡鈕、在葡萄葉蔓之間攀援嬉戲的瑞獸。瑞獸間飾以舒卷纏繞的葡萄枝蔓。外區飾一周同向環繞的四隻瑞獸和四隻鸞鳥。鏡緣處飾一周花卉紋。

來源：法國私人收藏。
品相：狀況極佳，有輕微磨損和鑄造缺陷、風化跡象、有少量微小的刻痕和凹痕，局部有輕微的划痕和缺損。自然包漿，帶有孔雀石綠色結殼區域。

重量：1,424 克
尺寸：直徑 18 厘米, 厚度 13 毫米

拍賣結果比較：比較一件相近鎏銀銅鏡 (直徑17.7 厘米), 同樣為唐代，并且相似形狀和紋飾，見紐約佳士得Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art 2013年3月22日lot 1142, 售價USD 47,500。請注意，此鏡與拍品有幾個不同之處，比如鏡鈕的瑞獸形狀，瑞獸背部的細節和缺少的珠紋。