Old Hand-wrought Iron Folk Art Dog with Corkscrew Tail steel black I have a vague hunch

I have a vague hunch they may be French

and very clearly readable

the corners are jointed

and especially those with loop handles like this one

the same artist--that one signed with the R of NRD elaborated to spell Rasmane

Old Hand-wrought Iron Folk Art Dog with Corkscrew Tail steel black I have a vague hunchI presume this wonderful creature was a whimsy of sorts made by a blacksmith. Perfectly unfussy and really rather elegant in a primitive way I think (makes me think a bit of Etruscan horses), with the ears, one flipped up, the other down, and the corkscrew tail lending a little humor. With terrific marked eyes and a slit for the mouth. It appear to me to have quite a bit of age, I'd guess earlyish 20th c? 8 3 8 x 2 3 4" t x 2 11 16" w and in very good