AN UNUSUAL CHINESE YELLOW JADE 'LION' WEIGHT

AN UNUSUAL CHINESE YELLOW JADE 'LION' WEIGHT
SONG-MING DYNASTY

5.6cm.

Neatly carved with its head turned to one side above a row of four paws, the tail curled up, the stone with grey and russet inclusions.

Provenance: from an English private collection, Yorkshire, purchased from the London trade.

Cf. Bluett & Sons Ltd, Dr Newton's Zoo, p.22, no.26 for a related carving with a similar taotie design to the head, dated to Song/Yuan, see also Sotheby's London, 8th December 2022, The Personal Collection of the late Sir Joseph Hotung Part II, lot 253 for another related carving dated to the Yuan dynasty.