Weiner Mihályné szerk.: Az Iparművészeti Múzeum Évkönyvei 9. (Budapest, 1966)

HOPP FERENC MÚZEUM — MUSÉE FERENC HOPP - Ferenczy, László: Chinese Bronze Mirrors from the Han Period

Fig. 3. Mirror with four spirals. China, Western Han period cative of the 1st century B.C., and so are — up to certain degree — the long, needle-like ends of the leaves around the knob and the dot-like decorations of the „brushlike petals". A fair number of such mirrors are known. The mirrors published by Swallow, Vandermersch and Hansford may be cited as the next analogy to our piece.

13 In regard to the development of ts'ao yeh mirrors it is interesting to note one of our fragments which still shows traces of experimentation (fig. 2.) : here the twin leaves are placed each on a separate stalk, while the four nipples are located in the corners of the inscription square. This mirror has a thin laced ear, while its rim is characteristic of pre-Han mirrors. Radius : 5 cm. These features and particularly the small laced ear are indicative of the 2nd century B.C. The twin leaves are sited on a recurved stalk ending in a dot. Next to this pattern are leaf reproductions on the mirror of the Hallwyl Museum and on a mirror found near Hsian.

14 b) Mirror with four spirals (fig. 3.).

15 The high central knob is placed on a plain base and is joint to a plain ring with three parallel slanting lines and three arched ones. In the main zone surrounded by rings with slanting combteeth there are four spiral decorations including a small boss in each. Three different small bird figures are around each of the decorations. The patterns 13 Swalloio : op. cit. Pl. 50; Vandermersch, L. : Les miroirs de bronze du musée de Hanoi. Paris, 1960. Pl. L, IL; Hansford, S. H. : The Seligman collection of Oriental art. Vol. I. London, 1957. Pl. XXXI. 14 Hallwylska Sämlingen, Östasiatiska smabronser. Stockholm, 1933. Grupp., XLIX. L: E. IL; Shansi sheng chu-tu t'ung-ching. Peking, 1959. Pl. 10. 15 Gift of Pál Miklós who acquired it in Hsian.