Pair of rare Royal Doulton flambe glazed Qinghai Fu Dogs. Royal Doulton produced a limited edition of 250 of these fu dogs in flambe glaze as part of their Burslem Artwares collection.
The Qinghai Fu Dogs are a pair of guardian lions that are traditionally placed at the entrance of Chinese imperial palaces, tombs, temples, and other important buildings. The lions are always presented in pairs, a manifestation of yin and yang, the female representing yin and the male yang. The male lion has his right front paw on a type of ball which is sometimes carved with a geometric pattern. The female is essentially identical, but has a cub under the left paw, representing the cycle of life. Symbolically, the female lion protects those dwelling inside (the living soul within), while the male guards the structure (the external material elements).
Flambé glaze also called "oxblood, " is a glossy, rich, bloodred glaze often slashed with streaks of purple or turquoise used to decorate pottery, particularly porcelain. More than 500 years ago, Chinese potters experimented with glazes that utilized copper oxide in reduction, which produced a striking, deep red porcelain glaze that later generations of Europeans dubbed sang-de-boeuf, because it resembled ox blood. After years of painstaking research and experimentation, which required building special kilns and experimenting with countless glazed and fired specimens, in the early 20th century, Royal Doulton designers succeeded in producing flambé glazed pieces, some of the finest examples of which were shown at the 1904 St.Louis World's Fair and Exhibition. Tiffany's expert, Arthur V. Rose, remarked, For perfection of glaze, as well as exquisite coloring and purity of form, they rival the finest of the Chinese. This pair is numbered 65 / 250.
They were introduced in 2002. This pair is in as new condition with no chips, cracks, or repairs.