A small yellow jade carving of a lion Qing dynasty, 18th century

finely carved as a recumbent feline, looking up with an alert expression, its eyes wide open, ears pricked back and mouth held partially open in a snarl, with the paws and ridged back all finely detailed, the translucent greenish-yellow stone with some russet blushes; together with a yellow and russet jade carving of a recumbent dog, its head turned back over the right shoulder and tail curled up over its rear haunches (2)

Compare a similar yellow jade crouching beast in the Qing Court collection, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Jadeware (III), Hong Kong, 1995, no. 93.