A pair of Antique Chinese Foo Dogs (Lions)

A pair of Antique Chinese Foo Dogs carved from black stone - date uncertain

This pair of Foo Dogs (Lions) appears to be very old, possibly dating to the 1800s. They are masterfully sculpted from black stone and highly polished.
The rectangular bases show a floral motif on all sides, and each lion holds an unpolished ball in its mouth. The corners of each base are chipped, with smaller chips in other areas and on one of the dogs' noses. The legs and bodies as well as the manes are polished to a high finish, and the streaks seen in the images are not cracks but the natural quality of the type of stone used.

They are very heavy and will require special packing which will attract a higher than normal courier cost so that you receive them in excellent condition.

Dimensions: width 11 cm (4.3 inches)
                        length 17 cm (6.7 inches)
                        height 23 cm (9.0 inches) 

Reasonable offers will be considered.

Foo dogs are symbolic, protective statues, and they are designed in pairs: one is female, the other is male. The female represents yin, and symbolically protects the people dwelling inside the home, while the male statue, representing yang, protects the structure itself.

Although ubiquitously and colloquially known in the West as Foo Dogs, these creatures are seldom referred to as dogs in Chinese. Rather, they are Shi, or lions. It is customary to delineate the creatures' materials or mediums. As such, a stone lion is shishi, while a bronze lion is tongshi. These are also sometimes acknowledged by their innate qualities or abilities: and an auspicious lion is Ruishi, a fortuitous lion is Fushi, while the Lion of Buddha is Foshi. 

https://www.chinafurnitureonline.com/foo-dogs