A Magnificent Large Bronze Lion-form Incense Burner, Khurasan, 12th Century

standing on all fours in a slightly crouched posture with large paws and swivelling head with bayonet fixture, ridged nose, pointed ears and bared teeth with engraved whiskers, the neck and body pierced throughout with vine scrolls, the upward pointing tail with stylised bird's head terminal

Pitting and patination, overall good condition, as viewed
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This kind of feline-form incense burner was produced in Khurasan during the twelfth century and its animal design sets it apart from other purely functional burners of the time. 

Incense burners arrived in Islamic culture via the Byzantines, but as time wore on Persian ornamentation came to influence their production, as illustrated by this fine example. Although Khurasanian metalworkers produced incense burners in numerous animal forms, it is these feline ones that are deemed the most outstanding.

Similar examples to this can be found in various public and private collections including The David Collection (von Folsach 2001, no.471, p.302), The Louvre (Pope and Ackermann 1938-9, vol.VI, pl.1297; Paris 1977, no.348, p.165) and the Nasser D. Khalili Collection (The Arts of Islam. Treasures from the Nasser D. Khalili Collection, Sydney, 2007, pp.82-83, no.73).