Collecting Antique Elephants
Michael D. Knapik is an obsessed elephant collector (among other things)! In addition
to amassing over 3000 elephant collectibles, he turned his obsession into an avocation: he
wrote the recently published: Everything Elephants: A Collector's Pictorial
Encyclopedia, the first and only book devoted to elephant collectors.
When Michael started writing the encyclopedia, he knew it would take multiple volumes
to come close to doing justice to such a widespread and varied collectible topic such as
elephants. The categorical variety is amazing. If an item was made, there is probably one
version of that type of item with an elephant on it or accompanying it in some artistic
fashion.
There are probably a couple hundred categories of elephant items. There are 140
categories in Volume 1 of the EE Encyclopedia and more will be added. Not only is the
breadth amazing, but the elephant theme, or motif, adorning things cultural, crosses
boundaries of time as well. Reaching as far back as the cave drawings of woolly mammoths
to present day, a few thousand years of elephant collectibles exist. This article
concentrates on elephant items at least 75-100 years old and older - sometimes much older
- true antiquities.
Antique elephants span fewer categories than all possible categories. In other words,
there are obviously no truly antique Disney or PEZ elephants, nor are there any antique
matchbook covers (but there are elephant matchholders!) etc. But there are still many
categories of elephant collectibles that sport at least one older representative -
allowing the elephant collector to concentrate on old elephant collectibles.
When collecting, in general, but especially with older specimens, it is wise to first
'collect" an understanding and information about particular items. Learn how to
determine original from fake or reproduction elephants. Because antique elephants are
going to command higher prices in general, learn as much as you can before committing to a
big dollar old elephant!
The antique elephant market is a microcosm of the elephant-collecting market writ
large. Supply, demand, rarity and specific, fashionable collecting interests drive
markets. Antique elephants get more attention, more bids at auctions, and have a cachet
that is hard to characterize, but definitely affects perception. Something that is old has
a draw to it. That some elephant artifact or collectible exits from before most anything
else (as a cave drawing!), to the present, provides you with a vast array of older
elephants that engage your desires (you elephant collectors know what is meant here - you
just have to have it!)
One of the more engaging categories in which to find antique elephant collectibles is
Coins and Tokens. Most of that draw is because you can collect some seriously-old,
valuable elephant things, in a small package, all the while enjoying the intricate
metallurgical artistry. You can easily appreciate the artistry displayed on planchets of
metal, and elephant art on coinage can be found throughout the ages. And in no other
category, (even philately), is such a premium placed on condition - even for extremely old
coins. For example, one of the earliest elephant coins - the Caesar Denarius shown in the
first image below, is in a condition that is hard to find. Think of how long that coin has
been in existence compared to most anything else you may have come across in your
antiquing career and appreciate the fact that it is still in one of the topmost conditions
assigned to coins.
Julius Caesar silver denarius depicts an elephant trampling a serpent - said to mean
Caesar defeating his enemies - in extra fine (EF) condition. 49-48 B.C. $1000-1500.
Courtesy Of: Classical Numismatic Group's June, 1999 Auction Catalog.
Racing ahead about 1700 years, some early American colonists used the elephant coin
shown in Image 002. There are several varieties all dating from between 1666 and 1694. The
circumstances of their manufacture and distribution remain clouded.
 Elephant 1/2 Penny (farthing) London Elephant
Token, thick planchet, certified by PCGS as MS-63 brown. This coin is quite rare in this
condition, as only 1 coin is certified in MS64, and 8 coins are certified in MS63. 1"
D. c. 1666. $3500. Courtesy Of: Author
There are hundreds of examples of elephant coins dating back hundreds of years
including many gold coins that were minted in India and throughout Asia, as is shown in
below.
Ceylon bronze-over-copper 1/48th Rupee "pattern" coin (normal runs were copper)
in certified Proof-63 condition. Krause # KM-75. 1802. $150-225. Courtesy Of: Anthony's
Stamps and Coins, www.astampcoin.com.
Another category with a good representation of antique elephants is clocks! Many
ornamental bronze clocks were made in Europe during the 1800s, especially by the French.
as the following images illustrate.
Bronze clock with wind-up movement by Gustav Becker who founded his clock factory in 1848
in Silesia and continued through the 1890s. He won a design award in 1852 and a Medal of
Honor, which became part of the trademark and is stamped on the back of the movement.
13" H x 9" L. late 1800s. $1200-1700. Courtesy Of: copyright: Archivator
(Budnitski Vladimir).
Rare 19th Century French signed, gilt and bronze elephant mantel clock. Eight day movement
with striking on a bell on the hour and half hour. Outside counterwheel. Movement is
stamped "Japy Freres and Cie" "Med. D'Honneur". White enamel dial with
blue Roman numerals. Seated oriental man holding a parasol above the clock dial being
carried on an elephant's back. Mounted on a scroll base. 16.5" H x 14" W x
5" D. 1800s. $2500. Courtesy Of: Stella
Of course, there are many antique pottery elephants. Pottery has been made for a
long time and the elephant was one of the first animals to be portrayed as or upon a piece
of pottery. Certain areas of Europe sprouted many pottery makers and factories over the
last 200 years or so, and therefore, there are many different antique elephants from
European potteries. Image 006 shows a typical elephant from the Staffordshire area of
England in the 1800s. Other typical Staffordshire elephants incorporated spill vases into
the figurine.
A figure of Jumbo, P.T. Barnum's famous circus elephant who died in 1885. Made by Parr and
Kent in Staffordshire, England. Title in raised capitals reads "JUMBO." It is
decorated with majolica glazes and has blue eyes. 11.5" H x 10" L. c.1882.
$500-800. Courtesy Of: Monique and Patrick Kelley.
Meissen, Bretby, Nymphenburg and Amphora are among other makers of antique
pottery elephants. The Amphora factory was located in the Teplitz-Turin area of Bohemia
during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, according to (Kovel, Kovel's
Antiques and Collectibles Guide of 1999). There are several great-looking (and relatively
rare and expensive) elephants from factories in this area, including the one shown next..
Rare Amphora porcelain figurine. This figurine has "1034" impressed on stomach
and 2 gold lines on foot. 2.875" H x 4" L. 1890-1910. $300-500. Courtesy Of:
Terry Wurden.
Pottery tiles with elephants (and other motifs) were created by potteries in the
Delft area of Holland. The image below shows a tile that was made in a northern province
called Friesland. Other, earlier Delft tiles have a blue elephant on them and date back to
the 17th century!
Polychromed Delft elephant tile 5" H x 5" L". 1800s. $100. Courtesy Of:
Author.
Elephants from the religious category include Ganesha, Gajendra, and several
other Gods or their worshippers riding atop elephants, from many places around the world.
There are even certain nativity sets sporting elephants, but one wonders whether the
actual historical nativity scene had an elephant! Ganesha is probably the most well-known
religious-elephant icon. According to www.indiancultureonline.com, Ganesha, also called
Ganapati, is the god of wisdom, prudence, and salvation and is the most widely-worshipped
deity dating back to near 500 AD. So antique elephant lovers can easily get their fill by
collecting 19th century and earlier Ganeshas and other religious elephants, as shown in
the following 2 images.
Marble Ganesha (or Ganesh) from Mandalay, Burma. 34" H. c. 1800. $4500-6500. Courtesy
Of: Abraham International at www.energycenter.com.
Chola dynasty Indian bronze figurine of Gajendra - the lord of the elephants, with
verdigris patina. It has lotus flower petaled torch in trunk and flame aurealla on back
and is situated on a stepped base. Serpent head tail holders and bead form trappings.
3" H x 4" L. c.10-12th century. $350. Courtesy Of: Author.
Another interesting category wherein one can find antique elephant examples is
Lamps. Not the electric variety - but oil lamps. Both metal and pottery lamps were made
for hundreds of years before electricity was widespread. Elephant motifs were no stranger
to lamp makers as the following 2 images show.
Ornate Victorian bronze oil lamp with removable bowl that fits into urn on top of
elephant's back. Elephant is in parade regalia and urn has lion masks and caryatids and
receptacles for lighting wands. 6.5" H x 7" L. 1800s. $150-200. Courtesy Of:
Author.
Terra cotta Roman oil lamp. 1" H x 3.25" L. est. 300 AD. $150-250. Courtesy Of:
Ardre of articcoin.com.
Finally, some of the most collectible antique elephants of all are Bronze
figurines, especially by the French in the 1800s and early 1900s. One of the most
sought-after elephant bronzes in that time frame is the "Elephant du Senegal",
or Running Elephant bronze, by the well-known French sculptor, and father of the Animalier
School, Antoine-Louis Barye. You find his works in the Louvre in Paris and in other great
museums. Image 013x shows the Running Elephant by Bayre.
"Elephant du Senegal". sculpture is signed "Barye" with the foundry
mark of "F. Barbedienne. Fondeur". It also has a gold-plated mark " FB
" by the same foundry. 5.2" H x 7.2" L. c. 1900. $7500. There are many
reproductions bringing in the range of $1500-5000. Courtesy Of: Ulrich Wagner.
Although antiquing in general is fun, when you combine it with a love of elephant
collectibles, as well as for other categories of collectibles (like lamps or coins), you
can get double or triple the bang for your collecting buck. Several other categories that
have antique elephant pieces include: inkwells, banks, bookends, ivory carvings, incense
burners, drawings and paintings, poker chips, photos, and cigar cutters. So get out there
and find your antique elephants! |
