Pair of Chinese famille verte biscuit porcelain large models of seated Buddhist lions on openwork rectangular stands, Early Kangxi period, circa 1680; 14 inches, 35.7 cm high. Price on request. © Marchant.

the male with a reticulated ball of cash-pattern simulating a brocade ball under his front left raised paw, the female with a cub climbing up her front raised right paw, each covered on the body in a translucent pale green glaze with relief hairwork to the mane and spine heightened in dark green and blue enamel, their faces in pale yellow with wang-characters on their foreheads, the upright tails with aubergine glaze, the stands with peony, chrysanthemum, magnolia, camellia, prunus, lotus and pinks on a speckled green ground, each with two butterflies. The flat underside unglazed with muslin effect. 

Condition: Restorations.

Provenance: Formerly in the Elizabeth Gibson Holahan Collection. Elizabeth Holahan (1903-2002) purchased the historic Oliver Culver House (built in 1816), Rochester, New York State, one of the oldest standing homes and where she lived from 1945-2002. She served as president of The Landmark Society of Western New York and later as president of The Rochester Historical Society. Amongst her many accomplishments she directed the restoration of the Patrick Barry Mansion, built in 1857 on Mt. Hope Avenue, considered to be one of the finest Italian style villa residences in America. 

Note: Included by Marchant in their catalogue of Recent Acquisitions, 2006, no. 17, pp/ 34-35.

A similar pair were sold at Christie’s, London, 20th June 1910, lot no. 104, and are illustrated by Gorer in Catalogue of the Collection of Old Chinese Porcelains formed by Richard Bennett, Esq, Thornby Hall, Northampton, no. 332; another pair were bequeathed by Mr. & Mrs. J.C.J. Drucker-Fraser and are illustrated by Christiaan J.A. Jorg in Chinese Ceramics in the Collection of the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, no. 216, p. 192, and are again illustrated by Christiaan J.A. Jorg in Chinese Porcelain and Green Enamels, no. 113, p. 124; a further pair are illustrated by Anthony du Boulay in The Taft Musuem, Cincinnati, Its History and Collections, Vol. II, p. 263.