A BRONZE ‘XINIU’ MIRROR STAND, MING DYNASTY China, 1368-1644. Well cast, the recumbent beast with a long curved horn flanked by a pair of funnel-shaped ears, its head turned back and the mouth agape revealing tongue and teeth, the spine supporting a mirror stand in the form of a crescent-shaped moon above a cloud cluster.

Provenance: From a private collection formed largely during the 1980s and 1990s.
Condition: Very good condition with old wear and casting flaws, few small nicks and occasional light scratches. The mirror holder still with at least partly original rivets and only slightly loose. Minor signs of weathering and erosion, small areas of verdigris here and there. Fine, naturally grown, dark patina.

Weight: 927.2 g (excl. base)
Dimensions: Length 22.7 cm (excl. base)

With an associated old fitted hardwood base. (2)

Auction result comparison: Compare a closely related mirror stand, also dated to the Ming dynasty, at Sotheby’s Hong Kong in Important Chinese Art on 6 April 2016, lot 3670, sold for HKD 162,500.

明代《犀牛望月》銅鏡架
中國，1368-1644年。鑄造精美，犀牛為俯臥狀，前蹄支地，似欲撐起上半身，後蹄自然壓於身下，回首望向背部由如意雲紋托起的月牙。牛首有角，雙眼有神。

來源：私人收藏，建立於上世紀八十至九十年代。
品相：狀況極好，有舊磨損和鑄造瑕疵，少量輕微劃痕。鏡架仍帶有部分原始鉚釘，只是略微鬆動。輕微的風化和侵蝕跡象。整器包漿自然均勻。

重量：927.2 克 (不含底座)
尺寸：長 22.7 釐米 (不含底座)

硬木底座。 (2)

拍賣結果比較：比較一件明代相近的鏡架，見香港蘇富比Important Chinese Art 2016年4月6日 lot 3670, 售價HKD 162,500。