Lot 343: A Pair of Soviet Ceramic Bear Bookends

A matched pair of Soviet ceramic bookends, each formed as a performing bear balancing atop a circular base with an open centre, mounted on a rectangular plinth. The figures are finished in a high-gloss dark brown glaze, while the bases feature a mottled caramel and brown drip-glaze effect. The underside of each base bears a green stamped mark consisting of a stylized branch motif above the Cyrillic characters ЗиК, identifying the pieces as products of the Konakovo Faience Factory. Additionally, each base is stamped in red with the words Made in USSR. Further markings include the numbers 12 and 8 hand-written or stamped in black ink, and additional figures 68 and 78 visible through the glaze within the circular recesses.