Brown Glazed Folk Art Signed Clay Lion in the Manner of John Bell slab decorated and I would guess German

and I would guess German

The top couple of joints of one corner have been smashed a bit

looking great amidst mid-century modern

and there is a signature carved into one handle

were at some point added to the underside

Brown Glazed Folk Art Signed Clay Lion in the Manner of John Bell slab decorated and I would guess GermanI don't know the age or much about the origins of this charming lion, but I do know it came from Pennsylvania, and certainly it bears a strong resemblance to the iconic folk art lion of John Bell (18001880) from the Shenandoah Valley, which itself bore the influence of Staffordshire and Rockingham lions from the mid 18th c. This one is signed Dorlisa (or possibly Dorlida) Lyons (appropriately) and I think it honors its predecessors quite nicely, and