A TANG DYNASTY BRONZE ‘LION AND GRAPEVINE’ MIRRORChina, Tang Dynasty (618-907). Of circular form, the back cast in high relief, the center with a crouching beast-form loop surrounded by four lions amid grape bunches and vines, the outer field with birds and fruiting grapevines below a narrow border of florets.Condition: Commensurate with age, extensive wear, some weathering, nicks and small losses, and corrosion. Fine, naturally grown patina with extensive malachite encrustation. Provenance: Collection of Dr. Walter Rieder (1890-1986), thence by descent. Old inventory labels ‘RIE.1976.351’ and ‘86’ to the mirror. Dr. Walter Rieder served in the Swiss East Asia Mission (SOAM) in Qingdao, Shandong Province, between October 1930 and December 1951. The mission specialized in educational, literary, and philanthropic work and Dr. Rieder was in fact, not a theologian or missionary, but a teacher of mathematics, physics, and science to high school students attached to the SOAM. His guiding principles were 'Creating understanding between different cultures' and 'Building bridges between East and West'. While in Qingdao, Dr. Rieder collected a wide variety of Chinese art. The objects in the collection thus offer a unique window into the type of antiques that were on the market in Qingdao in the second quarter of the 20th century. As well as demonstrating his passion for Chinese art, his collection also reveals the personal friendships Dr. Rieder forged with local artists, some of whom he knew from his teaching activities. Dr. Rieder had a scholarly approach to studying his collection. Alongside many of his objects, meticulous notes can sometimes be found detailing his art historical commentaries. The collection was hence Dr. Rieder's gateway to the history and culture of China. Objects from the collection were exhibited at the Kunsthaus in Interlaken, Switzerland in 2006 and 2018.Weight: 194 gDimensions: Diameter 9.2 cmAuction result comparison:Compare a related bronze ‘lion and grapevine’ mirror, Tang dynasty (618-907), sold at Christie’s New York in Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art on 22 March 2013, lot 1154, for USD 15,000.