Life-sized Chinese gilt bronze cloisonne sheep forged bronze construction with very fine detailing. The sheep can symbolize docility, satisfaction, respect for your guardians and sacrifice. Both sheep stand around waist high with one head cocked to the left and the other to the right. The face and four legs have a black color with intermingled ornamentations, with a gilt outline of the mouth, nostrils, ears, and hooves. Ovoid shaped body with an array of colorful line-work throughout the white color of the sheep's fleece coat. Sturdy structure, with the bodies internals being hollow.


Mark on neck, incised six script -KaiShu- characters reign mark, QianLong Reign Period of Great Qing.

Dimensions: 33-1/2" H x 33-3/4" W (each)

PROVENANCE: The private collections and estate from Louise “Pete†Clarke, (1923-2017) of Upper Falls farm. A popular antiques store owner in Mid Century.

The daughter of Frank R. Hammond, a real estate entrepreneur, and Madeline Bennett Hammond, a homemaker, grew up an only child in Upper Falls. Her father wanted a son, but instead gave his daughter the nickname “Pete†as a sort of consolation.

She left Upper Falls only to attend college, first at Washington College and later Ohio State, where she earned a master’s degree in social work.
She worked short stints as an administrator for the Girl Scouts and as a marriage counselor. Opened Pete Pickins in the 1950s.

Collecting the unusual with an eye for items from around the world over the decades she amassed a vast collection of rare and beautiful items.

Same provenance private collection of Louise Clarke offered at auction catalog listing from Lot-78, 79, 84, 164, 173, 174, and Lot-176.

Over all in EXCELLENT condition. Traced numerous tiny-holes of corrosions on enamel filling, No missing wires found on cloisonne works. With normal anomalies in nature, sign of stressed surface, minor scratch & dents, and trace of declined on gilt; Normal, consider ages and wear.

EDEN Fine Antiques Galleries provides condition reports as a courtesy to our clients and assumes no liability for any error or omission. Any condition statement is given as a courtesy to a client, and is only an opinion and should not be treated as a statement of fact. Descriptions are our opinions and should in no way be construed as a guarantee of any kind as to age, condition, mater. The bidder assumes responsibility for ensuring that the condition of the item(s) meets with their satisfaction prior to bidding. The absence of a condition statement does not imply that the lot is in perfect condition or completely free from wear and tear, imperfections or the effects of aging.