A LARGE GREEN AND RUSSET JADE FIGURE OF A THREE-LEGGED TOAD, MING DYNASTY
China, 1368-1644. The pebble boldly carved in the round as a crouching toad with its single hind leg tucked beneath. The animal well detailed with wrinkles on its back, large protruding eyes, and incised feet. The opaque stone is of a mottled green and dark-gray tone with russet patches and distinctive veins.


Provenance:
Ute Asboth, Galerie Asboth, Vienna, c. 2000. Collection of Maria and Johannes Nickl, acquired from the above and thence by descent in the same family. A copy of an expertise written and signed by Ute Asboth, with a stamp from Galerie Asboth, confirming the dating above, accompanies this lot. Ute Asboth (c. 1927-2018) began her career in the Asian art trade at Galerie Zacke in the early 1980s before eventually founding Galerie Asboth in Vienna, Austria. The gallery specialized in East Asian art and published extensively. Several noted exhibitions were curated in close cooperation with Luigi Bandini from Eskenazi gallery in London, United Kingdom. Some pieces from Ute Asboth’s private collection reside now in the Museum of Ethnology, Vienna (today the Weltmuseum). Maria (1926-2022) and Johannes Nickl (d. 2020) lived in Vienna, Austria, and were ardent collectors of Asian, Buddhist, and Egyptian works of art. They were highly active in Vienna’s tightknit Asian art trade and assembled most of their collection during the 1980s and 1990s, frequently buying from Galerie Zacke and later Galerie Asboth. The couple were also noted museum patrons and their names are still found on the Ehrentafel (‘Roll of Honor’) of the Egyptian and Near Eastern Collection at the Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien (Museum of Fine Arts Vienna) today.

Condition:
Good condition with old wear, minor signs of weathering and erosion with associated small losses. The stone with natural fissures, some of which have developed into small hairline cracks. Few minor nicks.

Weight: 724 g
Dimensions: Length 12 cm


The toad enjoyed popularity in late Ming jade carving
due to its association with Daoism and continued into the Qing dynasty. The three-legged toad in particular became so popular an image that its meaning became synonymous with the Daoist immortal Liu Hai. The word for toad is homophonous with offspring (wa), which means the toad came to symbolize the wish for multiple offspring to continue the family line.


Auction result comparison:

Type: Related
Auction: Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 1 June 2016, lot 25
Estimate: HKD 300,000 or approx.
EUR 40,500
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A sage-green jade figure of a toad, late Ming dynasty to the early Qing dynasty
Expert remark: Compare the related pebble-form and pose. Note the color of the jade.


Auction result comparison:

Type: Related
Auction: Christie’s London, 11 November 2011, lot 1221
Price: GBP 11,875 or approx.
EUR 21,500
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A celadon jade carving of a toad, 17th century
Expert remark: Note the size (6.3 cm).


Auction result comparison:

Type: Related
Auction: Sotheby’s London, 13 December 2021, lot 109
Price: GBP 5,040 or approx.
EUR 6,900
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A celadon and black jade figure of a toad, Ming dynasty
Expert remark: Compare the pose. Note the size (6 cm).




明代大型三足玉蟾


中國，1368-1644年。玉料雕刻成一隻臥蟾，一條後腿藏在身下，背部有皺紋，大眼突出，細節十分精細。不透明玉料呈斑駁的綠色和深灰色調，帶有黃褐色斑紋理。


來源：
Ute Asboth ，維也納Asboth藝廊，約2000年；Maria與Johannes Nickl收藏，購於上述藝廊，在同一家族保存至今。隨附一份由Ute Asboth出具的鑒定書複印件，上還可見 Asboth藝廊印章，確認斷代。Ute Asboth (約1927-2018) 於 1980 年代初在 Zacke藝廊開始了她在亞洲藝術貿易的職業生涯，之後在奧地利維也納創立了 Asboth藝廊。該藝廊專門從事東亞藝術並廣泛出版，她與英國倫敦 Eskenazi 畫廊的 Luigi Bandini 密切合作，並策劃了幾個著名的展覽。Ute Asboth 的一些私人收藏品現在收藏在維也納民族學博物館（現為世界博物館）。

品相：
狀況良好，有磨損，輕微風化，小缺損和小劃痕。玉料有天然裂隙，有的已發展成細小的裂紋。

重量：724 克
尺寸：長 12 厘米


蟾蜍
因與道教有關，在晚明玉雕中極受歡迎，一直延續到清代。其中，“劉海戲金蟾”的故事廣爲流傳。蟾蜍即蛙，字與“娃”諧音，意思是蟾蜍來了，象徵著多子多孫。


拍賣結果比較：

形制：相近
拍賣：香港蘇富比，2016年6月1日，lot 25
估價：HKD 300,000（相當於今日
EUR 40,500
）
描述：明末至清初青玉蟾蜍
專家評論：比較相近大眼突出和姿勢。請注意玉石顏色。


拍賣結果比較：

形制：相近
拍賣：倫敦佳士得，2011年11月11日，lot 1221
價格：GBP 11,875（相當於今日
EUR 21,500
）
描述：十七世紀青白玉蟾蜍
專家評論：請注意尺寸(6.3厘米)。


拍賣結果比較：

形制：相近
拍賣：倫敦蘇富比，2021年12月13日，lot 109
價格：GBP 5,040（相當於今日
EUR 6,900
）
描述：明青玉蟾蜍
專家評論：比較姿勢。請注意尺寸(6厘米)。