Page 121 - Christies Fine Chinese Works of Art March 2016 New York

THE COLLECTION OF ROBERT HATFIELD ELLSWORTH

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A SET OF TWO GILT-BRONZE ‘NESTING’
‘TORTOISE’ SEALS
CHINA, HAN DYNASTY OR LATER

The smaller rectangular seal surmounted
by a stylized tortoise fnial, and its seal face
with the characters in seal script, Shunyang
Hou yin, ‘seal of the Marquis of Shunyang’,
is encased within a larger square seal
surmounted by a tortoise fnial, the seal face
inscribed with the characters, Shunyang Hou
jia yin xin, ‘family seal of the Marquis of
Shunyang’.

1√ in. (4.7 cm.) wide, stand, box (2)

$3,000-5,000

PROVENANCE

The Collection of Robert H. Ellsworth, New
York, acquired in Hong Kong, 1988.

漢或以後 鎏金銅龜鈕套印一組兩件

THE COLLECTION OF ROBERT HATFIELD ELLSWORTH 1401

•1402

A MINIATURE GOLD SHEET-INLAID
BRONZE OCTAFOIL MIRROR
CHINA, TANG DYNASTY (AD 618-907)

The bronze mirror is inlaid with a gold
sheet chased with a central crouching animal
surrounded by two lions alternating with
birds amidst grapevine, all on a ring-punched
ground below a raised, ring-punched border

2¡ in. (6 cm.) wide, box

Bronze mirror 65 g
Gold sheet 5 g

$6,000-8,000

PROVENANCE

The Collection of Robert H. Ellsworth, New
York, acquired in Hong Kong, 1989.

Tiny mirrors were known as ‘inch mirrors’
(cunjing) or ‘sleeve mirrors’ (xiujing) due to
their extremely portable nature. Popular during
the Tang dynasty, such small, but intricately
decorated, mirrors were favored by nobility. The
technique of decorating mirrors with gold or
silver sheeting is not only representative of Tang
opulence but is also a testament to the skill of
Tang metal-smiths.
唐 貼金獅子葡萄鳥紋八方銅鏡

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