Mirror with mythical birds and animals

Object Details

• Provenance

  Mrs. Christian R. Holmes (1871-1941), New York and "The Chimneys," Sands Point, Port Washington, Long Island [1]

  From at least 1944

  Tonying and Company, New York, from at least February 1944 [2]

  From 1944

  Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from Tonying and Company on February 7, 1944 [3]

  Notes:

  [1] According to information provided by Tonying & Company, see Tonying and Company’s invoice, dated February 7, 1944, in which the mirror figures under no. B. 30: “Cricular Bronze Mirror, Bird and animal design, gray and turquoise-green patina / Han,” copy in object file.

  [2] The acquisition of the mirror by the Freer Gallery was approved by C. G. Abbot, the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, on February 4, 1944, see “List of Objects Contemplated for Purchase by the Freer Gallery of Art,” copy in object file.

  [3] See invoice cited in note 1. See also A. G. Wenley’s letter to C. F. Yau, Tonying & Company, dated February 5, 1944, in which Wenley confirms the purchase of the mirror along with seven other mirrors from the Holmes collection (see records for F1944.4-F1944.10).

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Chinese Art (February 18, 1983 to April 1, 1987)

  Chinese Art (January 1, 1963 to March 6, 1981)

  Chinese Bronze, Jade, Metalwork (March 1, 1957 to January 1, 1963)

  Centennial Exhibition, Galleries 14 and 15 (February 25, 1956 to March 1, 1957)

  Untitled Exhibition, Chinese Metalwork and Painting, East Corridor (February 15, 1955 to August 26, 1955)

  Special Mirror Exhibition (November 16, 1954 to February 25, 1955)

  Untitled Exhibition, Ancient Chinese Art, 1946 (May 7, 1946 to February 25, 1956)

  Untitled Exhibition, Chinese Art, 1944 (November 15, 1944 to May 6, 1946)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Mrs. Christian R. Holmes (1871-1941)

  Tonying and Company 通運公司 (established 1902)

• Origin

  China

• Credit Line

  Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment

• Type

  Mirror

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

  There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  200s

• Name

  Holmes, Christian R., Tonying and Company

• Place

  China

• Topic

  Bronze, Art, Sculpture, Han dynasty, 202 B.C.-220 A.D., Chinese Art, Mythological animal, Metal-work

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Mirrors