Featured A tail of a frog and a snail(shell).

Discussion in 'Pottery, Glass, and Porcelain' started by mmarco102, Oct 12, 2018.

  1. mmarco102

    mmarco102 Well-Known Member

    Hello, I recently acquired these four figures of a frog dragging a snail shell on a cabbage leaves. It’s mark “CLEMENT MASSIER * GOLFE JUAN (A.M.) who seems turn of the 20th C. http://www.ceramique-massier.com/pages/history.php

    In trying to get info, I started to see many versions of this with some dated around the same time, made in a variety of materials. Can someone help isolate the original artist version and what might be the story behind this popular piece. Any help would be greatly appreciated.


    962E65A7-1AED-4720-BB2F-CF074BCC53E6.jpeg 1FDD0DE2-D780-48E9-A393-0F14D8042DE5.jpeg CC8D739C-4515-460F-A034-9FE9A72B48EB.jpeg

    Below are other versions....


    077C3CF9-E085-4348-8174-8BFB3E108D82.jpeg 033DF1FD-79F6-42FD-B6F9-3B8119D47F23.jpeg 7D59A611-4C1B-4B47-B8B8-5F65D1CD9E0E.jpeg 3B7D4081-297A-4447-B310-09DEF8C2E7E2.jpeg

    325F7476-17C0-431D-91A4-C15498984D9A.jpeg
     
    Last edited: Oct 12, 2018
  2. Bronwen

    Bronwen Well-Known Member

    antidiem, mmarco102 and judy like this.
  3. Bronwen

    Bronwen Well-Known Member

    Reciprocity:

    [​IMG]
     
    Miscstuff, wenna, smcrae and 14 others like this.
  4. Lecollectionneur

    Lecollectionneur Well-Known Member

    I've found a little more in english than you have about Clement Massier, you're lucky to have found four together, normally they have lots or broken some in a table set, four is a good number for a service, sometimes you can have 2 or 6.
    The use as a salt depends from the size which you don't give in your description, if they are about 25-35mm. in the aperture it is salt, bigger they can be for other table use, entremet for example.
    In Europe Clement Massier is found in a very big lot of ware sizes in art pottery to exterior pottery.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
    judy, antidiem, BaseballGames and 8 others like this.
  5. mmarco102

    mmarco102 Well-Known Member

    Thank you for your response, I really appreciate the article and found it very interesting. I apologize for leaving size out, they are 8 inches long.
     
    Last edited: Oct 12, 2018
  6. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    Maybe @kyratango knows if there is a story behind the frog and the snail(shell).:)
    Other than that they are both eaten.
     
    judy, antidiem, Christmasjoy and 3 others like this.
  7. Bronwen

    Bronwen Well-Known Member

    And here it is as a match holder/striker:

    upload_2018-10-12_9-25-38.png
     
    judy, antidiem, Christmasjoy and 3 others like this.
  8. anundverkaufen

    anundverkaufen Bird Feeder

    I’ll still say sweetmeat servers.
     
    judy, antidiem, Christmasjoy and 3 others like this.
  9. Bronwen

    Bronwen Well-Known Member

    Seems like you have France for the country of origin since Massier did the ceramic version & Louchet is credited with doing it in metal & putting the bug on the shell. Turn of the 20th century seems to be the time.
     
    kyratango, judy, antidiem and 2 others like this.
  10. mmarco102

    mmarco102 Well-Known Member

    I find it amazing, so many verions with no obvious begining. It seemed to catch many makers eye
     
  11. Bronwen

    Bronwen Well-Known Member

    Tom Mackay, judy, mmarco102 and 4 others like this.
  12. silverthwait

    silverthwait Well-Known Member

    As an aficionado of snails, frog legs, and even rabbit, I can see the genesis.

    Incidentally, that green frog up there looks pie-eyed, zonked, three sheets to the wind! :)
     
    judy, mmarco102, antidiem and 2 others like this.
  13. Darkwing Manor

    Darkwing Manor Well-Known Member

    Those are adorable. I'll have to add Massier to my auction alerts!
     
    judy, mmarco102, antidiem and 2 others like this.
  14. Darkwing Manor

    Darkwing Manor Well-Known Member

    This reminds me of some of the Furness.jpg whimsical work by Frank Furness.
     
    Tom Mackay, judy, antidiem and 2 others like this.
  15. Bronwen

    Bronwen Well-Known Member

    I appreciate the work, but don't think I could live with this constant reminder of nature, red in tooth and claw and beak.
     
  16. komokwa

    komokwa The Truth is out there...!

    those legs could almost be mistaken for Northwest Coast art work.........

    upload_2018-10-12_10-51-6.jpeg upload_2018-10-12_10-56-49.jpeg
     
    all_fakes, Any Jewelry, judy and 3 others like this.
  17. mmarco102

    mmarco102 Well-Known Member

    There is a very strange connection between the Frog and the Snail. Some lost ancient secret indeed. Why hasn’t someone made millions selling a childrens book on this .... :hilarious::hilarious::hilarious::hilarious::hilarious::hilarious:

    AE1EBEAE-1E77-454D-BFC1-11CCC12701C8.jpeg
     
    Any Jewelry, smcrae, judy and 5 others like this.
  18. Bronwen

    Bronwen Well-Known Member

    Maybe because Toad nipped in first?

    They do occupy the same habitat.
     
  19. Bronwen

    Bronwen Well-Known Member

    Meanwhile the Portieux Vallerysthal thread has been working over a tortoise with a snail on its back.
     
    judy, mmarco102, antidiem and 2 others like this.
  20. i need help

    i need help Moderator Moderator

    I would more be wondering why we can’t find these made by Clement Massier, and as to their scarcity. :)

    http://majolicasociety.com/massier/
    Maybe a reference or a contact here.
     
    Last edited: Oct 12, 2018
    Any Jewelry, judy, cxgirl and 3 others like this.
Draft saved Draft deleted
Similar Threads: tail frog
Forum Title Date
Pottery, Glass, and Porcelain Reproduction? Farberware Cambridge Cocktail Glasses Feb 11, 2024
Pottery, Glass, and Porcelain Andre Ballet Covered Glass Dresser Dish, Finely Detailed & Finished Dec 25, 2023
Pottery, Glass, and Porcelain Miniature Yixing Teapot with retailers label Jul 4, 2023
Pottery, Glass, and Porcelain Wondering about the date? UK glazed earthenware gold gild detail Jun 9, 2023
Pottery, Glass, and Porcelain Bristol Yellow Cocktail Glasses Jan 15, 2023

Share This Page