**First Time At Auction**

Pre-Columbian, Peru, Moche, Phase IV, ca. 500 to 700 CE. A mold-formed stirrup vessel featuring a flat base and bulbous body depicting a charming frog, or perhaps a toad, with a curious look on its face. Its legs are nicely delineated in relief against the body, forming a patient crouching position, as well as a sturdy base for the vessel. The eyes are massive ovoid shapes - deeply incised and with thick outlines around them, giving them a bulging, lifelike appearance. The mouth is finely incised to appear closed. This example features a prominent snout-like nose also executed in relief. An elongated strap handle and spout rises from the frogÂ’s back. Size: 5.85" L x 3.5" W x 6.73" H (14.9 cm x 8.9 cm x 17.1 cm)

Toads and frogs are common iconography in the pre-Columbian New World, where their tadpole-to-land-animal life cycle resulted in them becoming symbols of rebirth. Some toads were also known for their hallucinogenic secretions and toad remains are commonly found in tombs. The Jesuit Bernabe Cobo, in his "Historia del Nuevo Mundo" written in the early 1600s, recorded that the common toad (in Quechua, the "hampatu") was venerated by local people in the Andes. He noted its connection to water, and Incan art (a successor of the Moche), such as the stone of Sayhuite, depicts toads in water basins and near other symbols of water. From the life-giving properties of water, it seems likely that toads were also associated with fertility.

Provenance: ex-Sarasota collection, Florida, USA, before 1965

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#165195

Professional repairs and restoration to spout. Restoration to small section towards the rear. Otherwise, in good condition and presents extremely well!