What is an elephant table?

An elephant table is a piece of occasional furniture supported by carved wooden elephant figures, often originating from nineteenth-century India or Burma. These tables serve practical functions as side or coffee tables while displaying rich colonial craftsmanship and animal motifs.

What materials are used?

Main construction relies on dense timbers such as teak and various hardwoods suited for deep hand carving. Additional decorative elements frequently include bone inlay, gesso, pigment, and lacquer to highlight the sculptural details.

Where were they made?

These items originate primarily from regions within the Bombay Presidency and Burma during the colonial era. Local artisans combined indigenous folk art traditions with European furniture demands to create these distinctive export pieces.