Posted 8 years ago
REGIONAL
(2 items)
Can anyone tell me anything about this antique elephant - possibly where it was made?
It is enormous - about 18" (45cm) tall with places for a two riders and there are parasols.
The elephant weighs three and a half stone - 20kgs plus - and is made out of ebony with ivory tusks.
It is the largest in a herd of five.
I've had a good browse on the internet but can find nothing similar. Any info appreciated.
Looking forward to finding out where it came from.
Ceylon or now Sri Lanka :-)
Yours is very well carved, older than those you can see on google images for "Sri Lanka carved ebony elephant"
one:
http://picclick.co.uk/Large-Antique-Ceylon-Ebony-Hand-Carved-182286958220.html
Thanks Kyratango.
The herd came out of a very fine house, according to the auctioneers.
I's a Christmas present for my daughter.
I bet your daughter will be delighted with such a piece
To Regional: This may offer some insight to your question: My husband's grandfather was a merchant sea captain in Liverpool: Captain John Owen. He would travel India, Sri Lanka, Africa and all over the world. He would bring back these elephants, tea and many other items. Not sure what year but to give an idea of maybe elephant age, he did survive the earthquake of San Francisco 1908 as a deck hand at the time, at maybe age 16 or 17 yrs old, and a Merchant Marine Captain in World War 11, UK. and my MIL (Captain John's daughter) just celebrated her 92nd birthday this month. We still have huge elephants in the family. (No pun intended.)
That's interesting, Englishman's wife.
By complete coincidence, I'm from a seafaring family from Liverpool too. My grandfather was a White Star captain and my dad was also a master mariner working mostly on oil tankers.
TO REGIONAL: that is a coincidence. He was a White Star Captain as well from Mossley Hill. L18. My husband and I are living in US. His mum is in Liverpool.