Jumbo The Elephant Antique Ceramic Ornament

Jumbo here caught my eye and even though he has a badly damaged left back leg and left ear which have been repaired the rest of him is in very good condition for his age. Made sometime in the 1920s in celebration of the beloved Jumbo the elephant who once lived for a time at London Zoo in 1865.

England became quite obsessed with Jumbo who had become one of England’s greatest attractions and when it was discovered that Jumbo was to be sold to Phineas T. Barnum of the Barnum & Bailey Circus in America, there was some protest. However Jumbo was eventually shipped to the USA via Royal Mail International Tracked and Signed (just kidding) where, well let’s just say Jumbo died a hero.

I’m quite fond of this Jumbo as he is a wonderful piece of English history and there aren’t many of these to be found, and although it does not have a makers mark, Sylvac did produce a similar looking elephant, as for the damage, with this Jumbo it’s easy to be forgiving.