A CELADON AND RUSSET JADE BUDDHIST LION, LATE MING TO EARLY QING DYNASTY China, 17^th-18^th century or earlier. The recumbent beast with its head turned to one side, holding a lotus stem with two blossoms in its mouth, its characteristic ears flicked back, the bulging eyes above a ruyi-shaped snout. The mane, backbone, and tail are detailed with fine incisions. The stone of deep celadon color with distinct russet inclusions. Two pierced holes for usage as a pendant.

Provenance: Rare Art, Inc., New York, USA, 4 April 1978. A private collection in Philadelphia, USA, acquired from the above. A copy of the original invoice, dated 4 April 1978 and describing the piece as a ‘Celadon jade Foo dog with lotus carving in relief, brown areas, XVIV [sic] Century’, accompanies this lot.
Condition: Very good condition with minor wear and few minuscule nicks. The stone with natural fissures, some of which may have developed into small hairline cracks over time.

Weight: 119.1 g
Dimensions: Length 6 cm, Height 3.7 cm

Auction result comparison: Compare a related celadon and russet jade figure of a beast, dated to the 17^th century, of slightly larger size (8.5 cm), at Christie’s London in Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art on 7 November 2017, lot 26, sold for GBP 13,750.

明末清初青玉太獅口啣蓮花擺件
中國，十七至十八世紀或更早。狻猊部分受沁為紅棕色，玉質老舊。狻猊狀貌似獅，身軀飽滿，口中啣著蓮花，尾巴上翹。頭部雕刻精細，朝天。整體活潑但姿態優雅。兩孔可穿繩作爲掛件。

來源：紐約Rare Art, Inc.藝廊，1978年4月4日；美國費城私人收藏，購於上述藝廊。隨附一份原始購買發票的複印件，上面依然可見當時的描述 “Celadon jade Foo dog with lotus carving in relief, brown areas, XVIV [sic] Century”。
品相：狀況極好，少量磨損與細小的刻痕。天然紋理的玉料，隨著時間的推移，其中一些可能已經發展成細小的細裂縫。

重量：119.1 克
尺寸：長6 厘米, 高3.7 厘米

拍賣結果比較: 比較一件相近的十七世紀青玉雕瑞獸，尺寸稍大 (8.5 厘米)，見倫敦佳士得Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art 2017年11月 7日 lot 26, 售價GBP 13,750。