Featured Wood Elephant Figure - Age?

I know. I just came back from Africa, so you think I would have bought all the souvenir pieces that I could ever want. This has been hanging around the store for months, so long in fact, it went for half price. I think it is older, as these things go. It is missing the tusks (empty holes) and some toes. It is heavy at 12 oz and 6 inches tall and 7 inches long. It also has its trunk attached as a separate piece. I know you see a lot of this kind of material, so does anyone have any comments?

 

Carved ebony?? And......scrap ivory?

 

That's what the similar ones say. I haven't found one like it with trunk that turns, but the older ones all have the ivory toenails.

 

An Indian souvenir, my father brought some back for us kids in the 1960s.
The inlaid bits are usually bone, and I'm sure they are here as well, I can see bloodlines. So you're safe.

 

The twin domes on the head are characteristic of Asian (Indian) elephants.

 

Have to say, I think it's very cute.

 

Excellent. Here I didn't think of the difference. I did see elephants in India, but forgot about them when we saw the tigers. Most appreciated.

 

Very good. I just look at the ears. I wasn't sure because they were plastered back but I should have seen they were smaller. Thank you.

 

I agree. I was surprised it didn't sell, but at the time it was put out there was probably 30 different pieces from two donations. Since I have a bunch of souvenirs, I wasn't interested, but he looked so unloved on the sale shelf.

 

It is surprising, because he is very cute and hand made. And there are people who collect elephant figurines.
They say that an elephant with a raised trunk means good luck. I hope it does for you, Kiko.

 

I had a set of these that I want to say were marked “Siam”, dark black wood with bone. Three different sizes. The marks were very well hidden on the underside somewhere. I believe they are pretty common. Still pretty nice things though.

 

I’ll search everywhere even the private parts. Thank you

 

You were right. I found something stamped on the belly I believe it says "Made in" "Ceylon" I looked on Google and low and behold there was one with a paper label looking just like with Made in Ceylon on it. And another auctioned as Made in ceylon (no photo.)

 

Yes! Ceylon! I knew Siam was sounding iffy as I was typing it but it was the best I could do at the moment.

 

I thought Siam was iffy too, as it's been called Thailand since 1939. But my piece is pretty beat up. I thank you for making me look.

 

Thai or Siam elephants are usually carved from beautiful golden teakwood.

They kept using Siam marks on jewellery for a very long time.

 

But you said in an earlier post that this elephant was an Indian Souvenir from the 60s.

While your speculation as to the country of origin was incorrect, I'm not sure how you are conflating the two concepts of jewelry marked with Siam and an elephant marked with Made in Ceylon. I think we can safely assume that the elephant had the potential to be imported into the US, so the maker affixed the stamp in English as required under the US law.

I have no idea what other countries' laws are requiring labelling. Even though the US is a monolith, laws are created and then take time to enact and then are further interpreted. Perhaps the jewelry you are talking about was not intended for the US market and therefore, had no requirement to provide the country of origin/location in English.

 

Carved wooden elephants are separate from Thai jewellery marked Siam.

As for India, they made these elephants in India as well, exactly the same as the Sri Lankan ones.
But Indian or Sri Lankan souvenir elephants don't have Thai jewellery marks.

 

I got the look for marks part right, lol. I’ve been depriving myself of sleep lately to get more work done and I’ve noticed my sharpness steadily decreasing. That and visiting family with constant voices and Fox News or Hallmark channel in my ear I’m going to say is a small excuse! Both “formerly known as” Asian locations starting with Si or Cey I’ll give myself credit for at least going to down the right path. I just took a left where a right was needed. How many great adventures started when someone ended up in Siam rather than Ceylon? Had to be at least one.

 

As you've found, that is often counterproductive. Get a good night's sleep, and you'll get more work done.
I'm sure Si and Cey agree.