A Copeland Parian Assyrian Lion Paperweight

A Copeland Parian Assyrian Lion Paperweight sculpted by Hays from the antique bronze, marked Copeland and dated January 1882

The discovery and excavation of the ancient Assyrian sites of Nimrud, Nineveh and Khorsabad  by Henry Layard in the middle years of the nineteenth century generated a huge interest in the finds, many of which were brought back to the British Museum. An employee of the BM, Aaron Hays, made a series of 7 sculptures based on the finds  and commissioned Copeland to reproduce these in Parian. Two further figures were sculpted by Owen Hale.

The figure is illustrated in the Parian Phenomenon page 174 fig 569 and in Robert Copeland’s book “Parian, Copeland’s Statuary Porcelain” on page 262 Fig 31 where it dates the first reproduction to around 1872.   Copeland’s book also contains a complete chapter on the history of the excavations and the production of the Parian pieces. 

Length approx. 11cm (4½“)

Condition: Very good. Some staining to the underside, otherwise no faults.