Major Ribbit French Provincial Frog Statue, Rust Cast Iron 29cm

A frog doing a handstand, one leg in the air, entirely pleased with himself.

Major Ribbit is a frog cast in solid iron and finished in a natural rust patina, caught mid-handstand, head down and forward with both front legs planted, body tipped up and one long webbed hind leg kicked straight up into the air above him. He weighs 2.6 kg, which is the difference between cast iron and the resin frogs that copy this shape. The skin is cast with the fine pebbled texture of a real frog rather than smoothed flat.

At 29cm he is about the height of a table lamp, easily lifted in one hand and characterful enough to hold a spot on his own. He is built for outdoor life: the iron takes weather without complaint, and the patina is a finish rather than a fault, so it deepens rather than wears away.

Why we love it

• ◆The handstand, a full inverted pose held on two front legs, which is a serious piece of casting and the reason people stop and look
• ◆The raised leg, one long hind leg straight up in the air with the webbed foot spread at the top
• ◆The face, eyes bulging and mouth set in a wide line, looking straight at you from upside down
• ◆The finish, deep amber where the light catches him, russet down in the hollows, and it only improves outdoors

How to style it

He reads best from the side, where the whole arc from nose to raised foot is visible.

• Set him side-on to the path so the full shape shows as you walk past
• Put him at the edge of a pond where the pose reads against water
• Stand him on a low wall cap with clear air above
• Use him indoors on a hall console as a talking point
• Pair him with The Frog Prince, the one standing with his arms up
• Group him with the rest of our garden sculptures

Care & Keeping

Wipe with a soft dry cloth to lift dust out of the webbing between the toes and around the eyes. The patina is a finished surface and needs no sealing. Place a felt pad or a saucer underneath on pale stone or painted timber, and keep harsh chemical cleaners and abrasive pads away from him.

Because Major Ribbit is hand-finished, slight variations in patina, texture, and grain are natural and add to the unique character of each piece. Colour may also vary slightly between screens, all photography is taken in natural light.