Fantastic Folk Art Lion with Moveable Legs, Long Tail and Bared Teeth! geometric design strangely and evocatively elongated like

strangely and evocatively elongated like a late-day shadow

Dated December 1857

hydrometer was an old thermometer

but finally deciphered the signature on the bottom to realize it is by George Kills Pretty Enemy (Pte San Hoksila)

Fantastic Folk Art Lion with Moveable Legs, Long Tail and Bared Teeth! geometric design strangely and evocatively elongated likeThis lion was clearly made by someone special, and maybe for someone special too, and I sure love them for it. The shapes and positioning of the jointed legs make for a luxuriously long lion stride, and then this marvelous mane, done as an additional later and painted with blue and orange dabs, with little cutout ears layered on top of that, attached by nails. Plus great big carved white teeth against blood red lips, and a long stiff rope tail,