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

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.




Below are other versions....

 

This silver plate one is described as being a reproduction, of exactly what they don't say, & to be a salt.

https://www.antiquesilverlondon.com...ate-salt-of-a-frog-pulling-a-snail-shell.html

 

Reciprocity:

 

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.

 

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.

 

Maybe @kyratango knows if there is a story behind the frog and the snail(shell).
Other than that they are both eaten.

 

And here it is as a match holder/striker:

 

I’ll still say sweetmeat servers.

 

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.

 

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

 

The sensibility reminded me right off of Japanese netsuke/ojime with snails & frogs. Also of ones that have one creature dragging another:



Perhaps we are seeing the influence of Japonisme.

 

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!

 

Those are adorable. I'll have to add Massier to my auction alerts!

 

This reminds me of some of the whimsical work by Frank Furness.

 

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

 

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

 

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 ....

 

Maybe because Toad nipped in first?

They do occupy the same habitat.

 

Meanwhile the Portieux Vallerysthal thread has been working over a tortoise with a snail on its back.