Chinese bronze lion?

[cogar]

The craftmanship of the lion does not compare to the crudeness of the base, …… therefore me thinks its a "married" (conjoined) piece.


The lion figure was probably a decoration that was taken or salvaged from another object/entity.

[Skinny]

Hummm......that is a possibility

[mart]

Sometimes the upper figural parts were hollow but I have never seen a hollow base !!  That is where the weight is needee !!

[Skinny]

It is a somewhat perplexing object.

[cogar]

but I have never seen a hollow base !!  That is where the weight is needee !!

If its a "repurposed" piece, …… and I think it is, ……. then  the base itself was "repurposed" from something else.

Something else like a cast metal oblong box ...... or a cast metal oblong lid.

And maybe not seen a cast metal hollow base for a statue, but surely seen plenty of them for lamps, clocks, etc.   

[mart]

Thanks for your logical thinking !!  Never thought about a married piece !!  Could be !!

Looking at the pics again,, if you set this figure on a table or flat surface,, does it seem top heavy ??  Looking at the paws I don`t see much detail on them !!  Cogar may be right,, it doesn`t look correct for standing in that position and there are some pieces by the legs on the base that do not seem to belong there if it was made as it is !!

[Skinny]

His left front paw looks somewhat well executed, while the right one is a bit more clunky. This is kind of true for the back feet as well. It seems to be pretty well balanced. I've got it on a book shelf and it doesn't want to tip over at all

[mart]

https://www.google.com/search?q=chinese+dragon+bookends&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-b

OK !!  I think I have this one figured out !!  The form just threw me for a loop,,,until you said yo had it on a bookshelf !!  Look at the base on the 2,3,and 4 pic !!  Now these are usually weighted with gravel or can be clay !!  If the bottom part were ruined by accident or whatever you would see the same thing that yours looks like !!  If this were one of a pair it would look like the dragons were holding the books up wouldn`t it ??

[cogar]

Skinney,

You got me thinking wrong with this title.

Chinese bronze lion?

That sucker looks more like a Chinese Foo Dog …….. than it does a lion.

And iffen it is you will surely like these prices, ….. to wit:

https://picclick.com/8-Chinese-Bronze-Fengshui-Guardian-Foo-Fu-Dog-182512165300.html

[mart]

Could be !!  I was calling it a dragon !!

[Skinny]

Yeah, who knows what it's supposed to be. The lion and the Foo Dog forms look so similar to me. Sometimes the reproductions are just called a Lion Foo Dog, like its either or.The person I bought him from called him an Oriental lion tiger dragon lol

[mart]

Oriental lion tiger dragon lol

Ha !!  guess we are all right,,