🐶 Early Georgian Lead Dog Sculpture — In The Manner of John Cheere

🖼 Subject & Medium

We are thrilled to present this rare early Georgian C1760 lead sculpture featuring a beautifully crafted recumbent hound dog 🐶. Handmade from solid lead, this antique architectural piece may be small in size, but it’s impressively weighty at approximately 3.4 kg, giving it substantial presence and charm.

Whether displayed on a mantel, bookshelf, console table, or tucked into a garden niche, this rare antique brings historic elegance and quiet character to any setting. It’s perfect for antique collectors, dog lovers, interior decorators, or anyone looking to add a distinctive, meaningful accent to their space.

🎨 Composition & Technique

• 🐶 Material: Solid lead construction, giving the sculpture notable weight and durability despite its compact form.

• 🌿 Surface & Patina: The lead surface has developed a beautifully aged, authentic patina over two centuries, with soft grey-silver tones, subtle oxidation, and gentle textural variations that add depth and tactile appeal.

• ✨ Form: The hound’s relaxed, noble pose features a graceful spine curve, a subtle head tilt, and elegantly shaped paws. The combination of stylized simplicity and timeless dignity makes it equally at home in garden, historic, or contemporary interiors.

• 🏛️ Architectural Elegance: Originally designed as a garden or architectural accent, this piece seamlessly blends sculptural artistry with historical craftsmanship, offering a one-of-a-kind statement for your home or collection.

🏷️ Provenance

The modelling of this compact recumbent hound — naturalistic yet gently stylised — is stylistically comparable to small lead animals created in London foundries between c.1740–1770, including workshops associated with Cheere’s circle.

Characteristic features include:

• Softly rounded contours typical of mid-18th-century English leadwork

• Subtle hand-finished detailing to the face, paws, and body

• Underside casting traits consistent with period production

• A calm, dignified pose reflecting Georgian decorative tastes

Similar decorative lead animals were supplied during this era to major estates such as:

• Stourhead (Sir Henry Hoare)

• Wimpole Hall (Philip Yorke, 1st Earl of Hardwicke)

• Badminton House (Duke of Beaufort)

• Stowe (Lord Cobham)

• Formal gardens and London townhouse terraces

While no documentation accompanies this piece, its form, surface, and sculptural treatment are highly consistent with mid-18th-century London leadwork produced in the manner of Cheere and related workshops.

This rare antique was acquired from a private museum garden collection, enhancing its historical and collector’s value. With its clear early 19th-century Georgian origins, it’s a standout addition for lovers of authentic architectural antiques or rare decorative objects.

📏 Dimensions 

• Height: 9.5 cm 

• Width: 7 cm 

• Length/Depth: 17 cm 

Compact yet impressively weighty — ideal for tabletop, display shelves, mantelpieces, or decorative niches.

❤️ Why You’ll Love It

✅ Rare early Georgian collectible
✅ Solid lead with beautifully weathered, authentic patina
✅ Charming recumbent hound dog 🐶 design, full of character
✅ Perfect for antique collectors, dog enthusiasts, garden lovers, or interior designers
✅ Adds historical charm, visual interest, and timeless artistry to any space

🕵️ Condition

• Fine antique condition with rich aged character

• Displays grazes, scuffs, minor chips, and surface wear consistent with age (over 200 years old) and past outdoor use

• Structurally solid and ready for display, with an authentically weathered look

🌍 Worldwide Shipping Available
Professionally packaged and fully insured for safe international delivery.

🖼️ Available exclusively through Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD

📩 Inquire now to secure this unique piece