Chinese bronze: mirrors and vases
Bronze was the first great art material of China, and its forms never left the collector's imagination. From the Song dynasty onward, scholars revived the shapes of ancient ritual bronzes, and mirrors and small vases were made for the desk and the altar. This guide covers mirrors, archaistic vases, and the two bronzes we have for sale.
Bronze mirrors
A Chinese bronze mirror is polished bright on one face and cast with decoration on the back: flowers, animals, inscriptions, sometimes all three. The mirror below, dated to the Jin dynasty, has a chrysanthemum spray on the back and inscriptions on its side that have not yet been deciphered. Mirrors were buried with their owners, given as gifts, and kept as personal treasures. A good one still takes a polish today.
Archaistic vases
From the Song dynasty onward, scholars and collectors admired the ritual bronzes of the Shang and Zhou dynasties, and workshops made small vases in those ancient shapes, with bands of decoration on the neck and foot, and handles in the form of beast heads. The twin-handled vase below is one of these: Yuan to early Ming, with archaistic bands and a pair of beast-head handles, made for a scholar's desk or a family altar.
Patina and condition
Old bronze should have a patina: the soft, mottled surface that comes from centuries of burial or handling. A mirror that has been over-cleaned, or a vase with a bright, even, artificial-looking surface, should be treated with suspicion. Our pieces are described as they are: the mirror is in good condition with the typical signs of age, and the vase carries its Bonhams Los Angeles provenance.
Buying Chinese bronze
Bronze is collected for its weight, its patina and its history. Small mirrors and vases like ours, $650 and $950, are an affordable way to own a piece of the tradition. Ask for the provenance, look at the patina in daylight, and be wary of anything that looks too perfect. Every piece we sell is guaranteed as described, without time limit.
