China, late Ming to early Qing dynasty. Cast seated with large bushy tail and left paw raised and resting on a ribbon-tied brocade ball, the head with large bulbous eyes and jaws wide open to reveal the sharp teeth, the metal patinated to a dark blackish-brown tone. Condition: Very good condition with minor wear, traces of silvering, small nicks here and there. Provenance: Croatian private collection. Weight: 595.6 g Dimensions: Height 11.3 cm Auction result comparison: A related censer was sold by Sotheby’s London in Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art on 14 May 2014, lot 305, for GBP £7,500.