Japanese Kagami or Hand Mirror

Two cranes sweep in from above, and a third stands among the pines.

This kagami or hand mirror comes from Japan and dates to the Meiji period (1868 – 1912 CE). It is bronze. Bronze hand mirrors in Japan were polished on one face and decorated on the back, often with emblems of long life such as the crane, pine and flowing water. Here a pine rises at the right, with cranes in flight across the upper field and another standing beneath the branches. Two large characters are cast in raised calligraphy, alongside a small column of inscription. A wrapped straight handle extends below. It is 10.5 inches wide and 15.75 high.

Long life, written twice: once in birds and once in pine.