Featured A Damaged Elephant, I Just Couldn’t Walk Away From

Sometimes I don’t understand what inspires me and what doesn’t. Estate find from a well certified African art professor’s home. With a wall full of accomplishments under his belt. It is very hard for me to distinguish African art so I passed on so much, but when I saw this guy I couldn’t put him down. Horribly damaged but he was going home with me. First thought was rotten wood damage but I don’t think so. 5.25”H - 1lb 6.4oz. What’s your thoughts?

 

A shame about the damage. It's such a good likeness, but to an Asian elephant, not African. I can see why he was hard to pass up.

 

I can understand why one might see that but it is way too heavy. I’ll weight it and update this post.


Update, he is only 5.25”H 639gr/1lb 6.4oz

 

yes I see that, he must have had a thing for elephants as they were in every room.

 

It resembles some "Syroco Wood" elephants. These were the only ones that still had a label that I saw.

There are others out there saying they are Syroco, with wear similar to yours.

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-syroco-wood-decorative-4673272543

 

ah yes, that explains a lot. Thank you for that. It is new to me. Still like my distress little guy. He obviously has had a rough life.

 

Prehistoric mammoth carving? Can't see why something so degraded would be worth keeping otherwise. What were the other lots like?

 

ocher/earth pigment paint?

 

For some, the beat-up image is part of the charm.

 

I resemble that remark. I would hve look right pass it otherwise.

 

‘actually, my wife was the one that wanted to go to this estate sale for the elephants. She bought quite a few at $3-5 each but they threw my catch in for 2 bucks . I’ll shoot a quick photo and add it tomorrow morning.

 

https://prestigeestateservices.com/blog/syroco-value/

 

I have them in nearly every room.
Centuries ago the Dutch East India Company stole my family's palace elephants and gifted them to some Javanese prince. The 'appropriation' led to much more loss of course.
In remembrance of the lost elephants I have elephant representations dotted around the house, from a tiny Indonesian brass cutie on my kitchen window sill to a rare elephant and rider wayang puppet.

 

I shall post a photo of my little wooden elephant later. It was my grandmother's and likely from the 1940s when she was enamoured of all things Indian -- she thought highly of Nehru.

 

I would love to see it.

Many women were infatuated with Nehru. My grandmother and mother were. My grandmother also had a soft spot for Krishnamurti, you may have heard of him.

My husband actually looked a bit like Nehru. (Very popular with the ladies too.)

 

In the USA, "white elephant" parties used to be common near Christmas, the elephant being a term for things you owned but found useless and wanted rid of. I have to actual plastic white elephants in back of me, in case I ever need one.

 

So here is my wife’s “I have a (in 1day)elephant collection). Needless to say we were several hour late from the opening … Well it’s a good start anyway . The smaller bookends and the largest elephant are mark ebony, white little guy is ivory(shows some age but don’t know at this time) tourists souvenirs. I might be in the dog house for messing up her arrangements to get them all in one shot, joking

 

Ding ding ding, we have a winner. I’ve had a few of them. They are hard to sell in good condition. There are tons of them out there. I’ve been trying to get around $20 for one of the bigger ones in excellent condition for years. Still trying. They are great looking though.

 

I’ve got a pair of green elephants in the basement. Painted pot metal bookends. They are pretty dang funky looking. Can’t bring myself to sell them.