Wooden, silver and ivory frogs. In large and small versions. It should be clear: the 88-year-old Stoffer from Elim collects frogs. The reason for his passion for collecting is easy to explain: “The name says it all, doesn’t it? I’m Stoffer Frog.”
“I once got a frog for a birthday in the mid-1980s,” he says. “And then it starts. Then there is a small cupboard first. And later it becomes a larger cupboard. And that is often how a collection is created.”
There are now no less than 400 figurines of frogs in his display case. But you actually encounter the animal everywhere in the house. Stoffer often buys them on vacation, as souvenirs. Or he gets them. He bought the most beautiful frog in Indonesia, in a silver factory. “Probably there is only one of them,” he says proudly.
On his website, Stoffer keeps information about his blood relatives, the Kikkert family. It is the only family in the Netherlands that still has a real family association. “Recently in the village hall I had the flag added. I do that every year on my birthday, then I stick out the Frog flag.”
Although Stoffer recently received a frog on his birthday, he actually thinks he has enough. “I’m looking for a candidate who will take over everything from me. And preferably a grandson of course. His name is Kikkert.” There are two of them, so who knows.