Genuine Bronze Mirror, Western Han Dynasty, 8-inch, 206 BC - AD 9. Awesome antique authentic bronze Chinese mirror; Amazing thick patina; Museum quality, more than 2000 years old; Age: Early Western Han Dynasty 206 BC - AD 9; Most inner section depicts 12 disks surrounding the central knob, which may represent 12 planets around the Sun or 12 animal years of Chinese Astrology: the rat, the ox, the tiger, the cat, the dragon, the snake, the horse, the goat, the monkey, the rooster, the dog, and the pig; in that order. Next inner circle: 25 archaic Chinese characters. Middle circle: 4 flowers with knob-like centers and schematic pictures of pair of Phoenixes, Black Turtle, White Tiger and Dragon, which guard the four quarters of the world. The dragon and phoenix had been associated since ancient times, but the concept that these two animals, together with the White Tiger and Black turtle guard the 4 quarters of the world, owes much to the philosophy of the five elements (Wuxing), which originated and developed in the Han period. However on Han and later mirrors, the dragon and phoenix are often stressed, indicating that the old tradition had not died yet. (Donald Graham Jr. Collection, "Bronze Mirrors from Ancient China"); Outer circle: double saw tooth pattern around the flat rim; The mirror surface has several remnant islands of reflective surface. The size of the biggest island is 11 x 25 mm; Diameter = 8.25 inches = 207 mm = 20.7 cm; Weight = 2.3 lb = 1.05 kg = 1050 g; Knob height: 7 mm; Thickness: 4 mm;
Condition: Natural ancient patina, small area of original cast imperfection, no other defects;
Low Estimate: 50000;
High Estimate: 100000;
Original: Yes;