Featured Peint Main Limoges box w/Elephant ...orchestra conductor?

Preparing to list this little box. Is the elephant from a book or movie or something? Curious if he was a character that anyone recognized.

Also, the little "trumpet" latch on this seems to be just decorative. In other words, when you open it, the top lid just lifts up, no restraint from the latch. Anyone know if that is typical for Peint Main boxes?

 

Babar?

 

with the glasses, I'd say Cornelius........or just some fancy elephant..!

 

Peint Main means hand painted. They probably come in all kinds of boxes, with or without latch.

 

With the baton inside, is he a band leader? Is there one in the Babar stories?

 

And the bugle (is it?) on the front.

 

Interesting.....he has a pair of Pince nez glasses on his nose and there is a pair painted inside the box.....can't figure what the "needle thingie" is tho......@Bakersgma might be on it!!

 

I think the glasses & needle are just there to suggest what might be placed inside the box.

 

That does not look like a needle to me.

 

stick pin ?

 

I don't think it's a needle either....all I could come up with.....except that it's pointed, I was kind of thinking a cane......

 

FANCY SILVER toothpick, by Jove!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Thanks to all that have taken a look!

I too, was thinking the item inside was a conductor's baton, not sure why the glasses, too. Maybe to read a music score?

Could be Babar or Cornelius. Excellent suggestions.

I didn't know Peint Main meant "hand painted", too funny!
Should have asked, if anyone has sold "Limoges Rochard" boxes, just funny to have a latch of sorts that doesn't seem to do anything, but could be decorative I guess.

Thanks!

 

The clasp shouldn't be just decorative. At least I've never come across one that was I've got about 50 of them. It may have loosened with age. Sometimes a very gentle bend will put them back into place. As for the character - it's the French - who knows! It may even be a mouse.
Don

 

Maybe @kyratango does. Hi kyra.

 

Limoges boxes were made by the million in all sorts of shapes. It was meant to sit around and look cute, rather than to hold anything in particular. The long pointy thing inside is meant to be a baton; I think the elephant is a stuffed toy and the leader of a circus band. There were probably a set of these of animals with instruments.

 

There are a line of boxes under the name "Harmony Kingdom" that feature items in the bottom of the box when you open it. Sometimes they are something to do with the outside figure and sometimes they are rather cryptic and require some thought to understand the connection. I have always been drawn to them but can't bring myself to bring a $75.00 modern resin item home no matter how interesting. http://filmic-light.blogspot.com/2011/08/more-harmony-kingdom-pieces.html

Here is one of their pieces making a statement called "Rhino's Revenge". I was one rather in this tone with laboratory animals that first caught my attention although they do cutesy stuff too. http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Harmony...874188?hash=item23903e8e8c:g:VWsAAOSw4DJYh6Qq

 

Pretty sure it is an elephant and not a mouse due to the tusks. But good point considering all options. (Esp. recalling my post of the "mouse/chicken" figure that turned out to be an owl!)

Thank you dgbjwc for the info about the clasp.

Sounds like the elephant may or may not be a known figure. These Rochard boxes are worth listing, checking Ebay completed. I know there are a zillion Chinese versions of these whimsical porcelain boxes out there, but the French ones still have a following.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fr...=1&LH_Sold=1&_nkw=rochard+box+limoges&_sop=16

Thanks, all!

 

Oh, yes, definitely worth listing. I would advise not to start it too low or too high. I think that's where many sellers make their mistake. I snap up the really low priced ones and the high ones never sell!
Don