明末至清初 青玉蟾蜍

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 收藏
香港佳士得1995年10月30日，編號882

《Chinese Jade, The Image from Within》，亞太博物館，帕莎蒂納，1986年，編號228
聖安東尼奧藝術博物館，聖安東尼奧，1986年
《Stones of Virtue, Chinese Jades from the Gerald Godfrey Collection》，代頓藝術學院，代頓，1989年，編號197
《Magic, Art and Order. Jade in Chinese Culture》，棕櫚泉美術館，棕櫚泉，1990年，編號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.