Auctioneer Paul Renaud and expert Daguerre are selling a collection of works acquired by C.T. Loo (1880-1957), a dealer who played a seminal role in making Asian art more accessible in the West. From his galleries in Paris and New York, Loo contributed to many of the great collections of his time, including Percival David in London.
The collector also made a number of donations to American and European museums, including several to the Musée Guimet in Paris between 1928 and 1938. La Maison Chinoise, built between 1926 and 1928, was actually used during the Second World War as a temporary extension of the Guimet.
Sitting on his hind legs with his mouth open and surveying his exotic surroundings, this 3ft 5in (1.04m) high limestone lion with grey veneer, Wei period (5-6th centuries), is estimated at €35,000-38,000.
Coming up...in Paris
THIS most unusual looking beast is expected to be the star lot at a sale to be held in Paris on July 4 at a most unusual location, the pagoda-like Maison Chinoise, rue de Courcelles, Paris 8.
