Very interesting item which was acquired by a friend of ours in London in the beginning of the 1950's and entered our collection in 1976. The disc is completely corroded apart from a very small part which shows a yellowish green color with a light brown spot. The carving is extremely fine and lively. The writhing mythical creatures which resemble snake-like qilongs are carved exactly opposite of each other on both sides which can be seen when holding the disc against the light. We have never seen anything like it but in our library we found a bronze mirror (see last photo) dating from the Western Han period which bears some resemblance to our disc. As far as we know an exact copy from the Western Han period has not yet been found but a Chinese friend and longtime jade collector is convinced that the bi disc was carved during the Western Han (206BC-25AD) based on its style, material, very fine carving and corrosive layer which cannot be removed. One day we hope that our friend’s conclusion will be confirmed. Diameter 12.2 cm. Thickness 0.71 cm. Weight 194.8 grams.