Watt writing in Chinese Jades from Han to Ch'ing no. 59, discusses the origin of the fashion for jade toads amongst Ming dynasty literati, a trend which he attributes to the toad's connection with popular Daoism.
Seven Ming dynsty jade frogs in the Rietburh Museum are illustrated in Chinese Jade, no. 179, through no. 185. By comparison the Godfrey frog is more realistically carved, although sharing the same stylistic conventions of carving.