Unknown Ceramic Bookends

Hello, my name is Ed and I'm an IT consultant.

I've owned a set of ceramic bookends that were given to me long ago and I've always loved them but never really knew what they were.

If you could identify them for me I'd be most grateful.

 

They appear to be (Chinese) Foo Dogs with what appears to be (Japanese) Satsuma ware-style decoration.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_guardian_lions

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satsuma_ware

Here's a similar pair on offer by a seller on etsy. You can compare the mark with the mark on yours.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/724861...rest&share_time=1611297709000&utm_term=so.slt

Debora

 

Kutani

 

Here is a discussion of the Japanese Shishi lion that you may find interesting. See the picture of the one in the middle of this article.


Copyright onmarkproductions


Shishi - Lion Protector in Japanese Buddhism and Shintoism (onmarkproductions.com)

 

As others have mentioned they are Japanese so would be called Shishi Lions. They are for standing guard and repelling spirits (rather than being bookends). Blooey is right that you see these marked Kutani, although the style isn't anything like the traditional Kutani we think of and much more resembles late Satsuma ware. You get versions with impressed marks, paper stickers and enamelled marks. The earlier ones are Japanese and then sometime around the 70's or 80's they started to be made in China and you can find ones with labels for China. The early ones appear to be inter-war and they are still made today. The Chinese copies are very similar and unless marked are hard to tell apart from the Japanese ones.

 

Hi,
I would not call them a pair as they are both males. I guess you could. A pair of Foo dogs or Lions have a female with her paw on a puppy and the male with his paw on a ball.
greg

 

Thank you above for clarifying these are Shishi Lions and not Foo Dogs, along with providing all the other information about their decorative style.

Debora

 

Google kutani foo dogs you'll see hundreds like this. They are almost always porcelain never seen earthenware ones decorated like this. Very common object round these parts. Hardly ever marked BTW

 

here's a pair from my collection, Chinese 19thc

 

Sensational pieces. They seem to be looking at you and those teeth are to die for. Are those bronze? I would love to have those.

 

Here are my best pair.

 

No Kiko they aren't bronze, they're Shiwan pottery.