Monumental Pair of Sewer Tile Lion Statues, probably OH origin, late 19th century, each molded of stoneware in the form of a lion with highly-detailed mane, large, circular eyes, protruding tongue, and upswept tail, reclining on a slab base and covered in a salt glaze. The finest lot of sewer tile that we have ever offered, featuring extraordinary size, outstanding subject matter, and a highly appealing folk art aesthetic. Provenance: Ex-Personal Collection of Peter Tillou; acquired by the consignor from Jeffrey Tillou Antiques at The Philadelphia Show in April 2022 for $20,000. The pair are highlighted in a Leigh Keno video about the show (link) as extraordinary works. (Lions include the modern wooden plinths seen in photos.) Slightly taller lion with base chips, a 1 1/2" chip to one paw, a 5/8" chip to one ear, and other minor surface chips. Slightly shorter lion with base chips including a shallow 3 1/2" base flake and a minor chip to one rear foot. Dimensions (of slightly taller lion): L 33" ; W 12 1/2" ; H 16" ; Dimensions (of slightly shorter lion): L 33" ; W 12 1/2" ; H 15 1/2".
Special Note: Due to these objects' large size, we are unable to ship them using our normal in-house shipping service. They must either be picked up by the high bidder, or special arrangements must be made by the high bidder for pick up and / or shipping by a third party. If you have any questions, please contact us; we are certainly able to recommend options for third party shippers ahead of time that you can contact for a quote.
