Brass animal thingy.. looks east asian

no markings.
came as a part of an estate collection which also included some decent finds, so hoping this is an interesting find.
Looks like brass, about 5 inches length, kind of heavy for its size. There is a protrusion at the belly, which seems to make some sort of an attachment . maybe to the top of a helmet? Trying to figure out what this is.
Please comment.

 

WAG: Door knocker?

 

Agreed

 

It's a Foo dog. Maybe a finial of sorts? Looks a bit heavy to wear as a pendant!

Look at the underside of this lid to see an example of what I was referring to
https://www.etsy.com/listing/555653...r?show_sold_out_detail=1&ref=anchored_listing

 

sure looks like it !!!
The critter is wild......the guess....not so much !!

 

It is an East Asian mythical animal, but not a Foo lion (called dog in the West). It could be a Pixiu. Pixiu protects your riches.

 

crossed my mind, it might be a Foo dog; but what stumps me is the belly attachment

 

If you actually look at the link I posted and scroll to the picture of the underside of the lid, as I have suggested, you will see how the belly attaches to the top of the lid. This example also being referred to as a Foo Dog/Lion/Wild Lucky Beast...etc.


ALL examples were referred to as Foo Dogs....

 

Thank you flippper!

yes, looks almost exactly the same, my piece is more nicer.
wow! I have some closure now.
Follow up question: how do I sell this stuff or what do I do with this one? dos't look like it will bring top dollar!

 

You may receive other opinions, but as it sits by itself, I am not sure who would want it and for how much...unless they lost the finial from their censer/incense burner.

 

I agree with you and suspected as much after seeing your picture.
Dang!... goes to the Goodwill pile

 

I know, that is what people in the West tend to call any Chinese mythical animal that is not a dragon. Doesn't mean they are all Foo dogs, I can see some Foo lions in that post, but some are not. None of them are dogs.
Chinese myth is even more complicated than European myth, which is bad enough.

 

Looks like a rabid squirrel.

 

Probably closer to the mark than a dog.