The Pixiu is the ninth son of the dragon in the common telling — a creature with the head of a dragon, the body of a lion and wings, said to have such an appetite for precious metal that it can never be satisfied. For centuries its image has stood on shop counters and in reception rooms.
These are sand-cast solid brass, which is why each one is a slightly different colour where the mould cooled: a proper cast piece, not a plated resin or hollow shell, both of which are common at lower price points. The pair weighs just under a kilogram, so give it a solid shelf. Felt pads are fitted.