Country Group: China, Japan and Korea
Pair of early Ming (14/15thC) good luck mythical frog creatures carved in a hard gray stone. Remarkable original condition with no damage or repairs. Beautiful untouched patina. They have wonderfully expressive faces. Extremely uncommon, as I have not encountered anything like them in over thirty years of collecting. Purchased in the 1990s (They cost me $5000 for the pair 30 years ago!-based on their value 30 years ago, their value today should be higher, but some items do not go up in value the way that others do-I also paid a strong price for them then). From a long-time San Francisco bay area collector/dealer who is also a certified appraiser specializing in Chinese and Tibetan art. He bought them in a small village in Inner Mongolia in the mid-1990s. Out of all of the beasts I have owned over the years, these remain my favorites. They are each a good size at approximately 5 3/4 inches tall, 11 1/2 inches long, and 5 1/2 inches wide (and quite heavy, being made of stone). Custom bases measure 7 1/4 inches by 10 inches by 1 inch. These have guarded my front door for almost three decades. The custom bases are not shown in the photos. Please ask if you want one.
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