Brown Glazed Folk Art Signed Clay Lion in the Manner of John Bell 1972 edition In any case

In any case

1920s or so

I found it at the estate sale of an actress and philanthropist and like to imagine it was a souvenir from perhaps a first apartment rental in New York or London

though it is so distinctive and beautifully decorated I think I'd be more inclined to treat it as a design object than to drink out of it--I  might put it to use as a small planter

this one a vintage Modern Blueprint Co

Brown Glazed Folk Art Signed Clay Lion in the Manner of John Bell 1972 edition In any caseI 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