Tang dynasty (618-907). The silvered bronze circular mirror cast in high relief, the central pierced knob as a crouching beast surrounded by four beasts amidst scrolling grapevines, the outer field with birds and birds in flight with further vine scrolls, all below a ruyi-head border, with bright silver patina. Provenance: Given as a gift in 1949 from Yen Hsi-Shan, Premier of China, to the CIA operative who airlifted Yen and the provincial treasury to Taiwan prior to the fall of Tai Yuan. Approx. 4 1/8 in. diam., 10.5 cm. diam.

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