Van Briggle Flower Frog: History, Value & Where to Buy

Flower frogs — the weighted or pierced inserts placed inside bowls and vases to hold flower stems upright — are among Van Briggle’s most charming and collectible items. While most potteries produced simple utilitarian frogs, Van Briggle transformed this humble object into small works of art with three known figural designs: the scarab, the fly, and the snail.

These miniature sculptures sit at the intersection of function and decoration that defined Van Briggle’s philosophy from the beginning. Whether you are drawn to the Egyptian mysticism of the scarab, the playful oddity of the fly, or the natural elegance of the snail, this guide covers everything you need to know: history, identification, current market values, and where to find one.

Van Briggle produced flower frogs from at least the 1910s through the modern era. While simple round frogs with holes were made in quantity as functional accessories for bowls and vases, it is the three figural designs that captivate collectors today.

Scarab Flower Frog

The scarab flower frog features an Egyptian-inspired scarab beetle, reflecting the early 20th century’s fascination with Egyptian motifs that swept through decorative arts following major archaeological discoveries. The design is both elegant and symbolic — the scarab represented rebirth and transformation in ancient Egyptian culture. Among collectors, the scarab flower frog is described as genuinely rare and commands strong prices when it appears on the market.

Fly Flower Frog

Dating to circa 1914, the fly flower frog is perhaps the most unusual piece in the Van Briggle catalog. The subject — a common house fly rendered in ceramic — is a surprising choice for a pottery known for Art Nouveau elegance, yet it demonstrates the humor and inventiveness that characterized the pottery’s novelty pieces. The fly sits atop a domed base pierced with holes for flower stems, turning an unwelcome household pest into a whimsical conversation piece.

Snail Flower Frog

The snail flower frog continues Van Briggle’s interest in rendering natural subjects at small scale. The spiral of the snail’s shell lent itself beautifully to the pottery’s matte glazes, with color pooling in the curves and recesses to create depth. Like the scarab, the snail flower frog is scarce and commands premiums when it surfaces for sale.

Standard Flower Frogs & Bowl Sets

Beyond the figural designs, Van Briggle produced simple round flower frogs with holes, typically sold as sets with matching bowls. White flower frog and bowl duos, Persian Rose examples, and mulberry-glazed pieces are all actively collected. These sets are more commonly found than the figural designs and offer an accessible entry point for collectors who appreciate the functional beauty of Van Briggle’s production ware.

It is worth noting that Van Briggle candle holders share similar forms and production history with flower frogs — both are small, functional pieces elevated by the pottery’s distinctive matte glazes and Art Nouveau styling. Candle holders are also highly collectible and often found alongside flower frogs in estate sales and antique shops.

One of the joys of collecting flower frogs is that great deals are still found regularly. Because flower frogs are small and often overlooked by sellers unfamiliar with Van Briggle, they turn up at remarkably low prices.

• A collector found a mulberry-glazed flower frog for just $15 at an antique shop in Martinez, California — a piece worth several times that amount to a knowledgeable buyer.
• A checkered-pattern flower frog with Persian Rose glaze was discovered at an antique faire for $10, a price that reflects the seller’s unfamiliarity with the Van Briggle name rather than the piece’s actual value.
• A white bowl and matching flower frog set turned up at a garage sale, where the pair was priced as generic vintage ceramics rather than recognized as Van Briggle production.

These stories illustrate a consistent pattern: the best deals on Van Briggle flower frogs come from sellers who do not recognize what they have. Estate sales, garage sales, and small-town antique shops remain the richest hunting grounds for underpriced pieces.

Figural flower frogs — the scarab, fly, and snail — carry the conjoined “AA” mark on their bottom, consistent with Van Briggle’s standard marking practices. The quality of the mark and the style of lettering can help date the piece to a specific era, just as with larger Van Briggle forms.

Simple round flower frogs may have only a basic “AA” mark, and some smaller production pieces may have minimal marking. When found as part of a bowl-and-frog set, the bowl will typically carry more detailed marks that can help identify and date both pieces.

Collector tip: Bowl-and-frog sets are worth more together than separately. If you find a Van Briggle bowl at an estate sale, always check inside it — the matching flower frog may still be sitting in the bottom, unrecognized and unpriced.

For a comprehensive guide to reading Van Briggle bottom marks across all eras, see our Markings & Identification Guide. For help pinpointing the exact decade your piece was made, consult our Dating Your Pottery guide.

Flower frog values vary significantly based on design type, glaze, condition, and whether the piece is sold with its matching bowl. The following values reflect actual recent sales and current market activity.

Best deals: The best prices on Van Briggle flower frogs come from sellers who do not recognize the Van Briggle name. Pieces have been found for as little as $10 to $15 at antique shops, garage sales, and estate sales. If you are patient and willing to hunt, flower frogs are one of the most rewarding Van Briggle forms to collect on a budget.

eBay

eBay is the most reliable source for Van Briggle flower frogs, with standard designs appearing regularly. Figural designs are much rarer — set up a saved search for “Van Briggle flower frog” and “Van Briggle scarab” to be notified when new listings appear. Always check the “Sold Items” filter to gauge actual market values.

Etsy

Etsy sellers occasionally list Van Briggle flower frogs, sometimes miscategorized under general “vintage pottery” rather than specifically identified as Van Briggle. This miscategorization can work in your favor — pieces that are not correctly attributed tend to sell for less than their true market value.

Estate Sales & Antique Shops

Estate sales offer the best opportunities for finding underpriced flower frogs. Because these pieces are small and easily overlooked, they are often grouped with miscellaneous kitchen items or generic ceramics. Antique shops in Colorado and the broader Mountain West region are particularly productive hunting grounds, given Van Briggle’s Colorado Springs origins.

The figural designs — scarab, fly, and snail — are genuinely rare. If you encounter one at any price point, it is worth serious consideration. These pieces do not appear on the market frequently, and when they do, knowledgeable collectors move quickly.