Rochard Frog Perched on a Lily Pad Limoges Box

Somewhere on a still summer pond, a frog has claimed the best seat in the house, a broad lily pad floating on the water. Rochard brings that little scene indoors as a hand-painted porcelain Limoges box, made in Limoges, France.

King of the Lily Pond

The frog and its pad are sculpted together, so the box is the pond moment itself, caught in porcelain. Frogs have long been a favorite subject for Limoges collectors, partly for their charm and partly because they look so at home on a windowsill or vanity. This one keeps the scene simple: one frog, one pad, and a lot of character.

Leaping Into a Collection

• A Rochard piece, painted by hand in France
• Suits a frog, pond or water garden theme
• Groups well with turtle, dragonfly and duck boxes

Born of White Clay

Porcelain making took root in Limoges after deposits of kaolin, a fine white clay, turned up near Saint-Yrieix-la-Perche in 1768. Boxes like this one are still painted by hand after the white porcelain comes out of the kiln. Give it to a gardener with a backyard pond, a friend who collects frogs, or anyone who loves the sound of peepers on a spring evening.