A SAGE-GREEN JADE FIGURE OF A TOAD LATE MING – EARLY QING DYNASTY

the pebble carved in the round as a crouching toad looking to its left, the nephrite stone reserved with some dark brown skin, wood stand

Gerald Godfrey Collection.
Christie’s Hong Kong, 30th October 1995, lot 882.

Chinese Jade, The Image from Within, Pacific Asia Museum, Pasadena, 1986, cat. no. 228.
San Antonio Museum of Art, San Antonio, 1986.
Stones of Virtue, Chinese Jades from the Gerald Godfrey Collection, the Dayton Art Institute, Dayton, 1989, cat. no. 197.
Magic, Art and Order. Jade in Chinese Culture, Palm Springs Desert Museum, Palm Springs, 1990, cat. no. 102.

The toad enjoyed popularity in late-Ming jade carving due to its association with Daoism, and continued into the Qing dynasty. Homophonous with offspring (wa), the toad symbolises the wish for multiple children to continue the family line. A series of green jade toads of similar proportions and compact pose are known, including a slightly larger one, also from the Water, Pine and Stone Retreat collection, sold in these rooms, 4th April 2012, lot 182. Compare also a related greyish-white toad sold at Christie’s New York, 1st December 1988, lot 91; and another sold in these rooms, 6th December 1978, lot 1198.