This antique porcelain foo dog is intricately detailed in polychrome enamels. It's a male Shishi, which refers to a dog with magical properties and the power to repel evil spirits. His right paw is resting on a colorful ball that represents the world. His mouth is open wide, another indication of the male gender, with two articulated upper teeth, two sharp lower fangs and a protruding tongue.
His tightly curled green fur partially covers his back and legs and creates "eyebrows." He's wearing an elaborate collar with two ladybug pendants and a central caterpillar that extends under his belly. His paws are well delineated, with carved nails, except for the one resting on the ball. The Chinese symbol for the sun is carved on his forehead.
The foo dog is resting on an altar rug that is draped over an elaborately carved plinth that measures 3 1/2 inches by 2 3/4 inches by 2 1/4 inches tall. Its overall height is 6 1/4 inches and its weight piece weighs 1 pound. The bottom of the plinth was given a dark brown wash and has a mark which was stamped into the clay before the piece was placed into the kiln (unreadable to us and we're not sure we have photographed it in the correct position).
This Qing Dynasty foo dog, made in the nineteenth century, has crazing on the body and the tiniest part of the tip of the curled beard is missing (easier to feel than to see). Otherwise, it's in wonderful condition and an excellent Chinese decorative collectible.
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