What is an elephant table used for?

These pieces function primarily as small side tables, occasional tables, or plant stands within a room. Their decorative sculptural presence also allows them to stand alone as ornamental figures or folio stands.

How do I date a carved wooden stand?

Dating relies upon examining the timber species, construction joints, and stylistic markers recorded across the Victorian period and early twentieth century. Regional attributes, such as Hoshiarpur inlay work or Ceylonese specimen woods, help narrow the specific origin and timeframe.

Where were these stands made?

Production centred largely in regions under British colonial influence, including various districts of India, Burma, and Ceylon. Local workshops adapted traditional motifs and animal forms to suit European domestic tastes for exotic occasional furniture.

Are the tusks always made of bone?

Materials for the tusks vary across the pieces, with some examples utilising carved bone, others employing painted wood, and several showing carved wooden construction. This variation reflects the specific workshop traditions and the availability of materials during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.