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 Elephant tray
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| Author | Topic: Elephant tray |
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ahwt Posts: 2334 |
posted 07-28-2012 11:52 AM
  
[01-3036] I found the above tray at the flea market in Nashville yesterday. I have always been fond of elephants and a tray with them quietly circling a mysterious island of land is very fascinating. The tray is irregularly shaped; much is the same manner as the island in the center of the tray. Stylized waves are depicted around the island but more interestingly the land mass has four large recesses. As shown below one recess appears to be a large bird with its wings spread out while the other recess on the left side could be a tree. The recess on the bottom is not recognizable to me and the last one on the right side must represent a peninsular. There are also four small indentations on the left side. There is a story in the tray, but it is not recognizable to me. IP: Logged |
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ahwt Posts: 2334 |
posted 07-28-2012 11:52 AM
 Above are close-ups of the four large recesses. The tray is not marked and appears to be solid silver to me, but I am not going to test it. Any ideas as to what the artist was trying to say with this tray? I should add that there are thirteen elephants around the rim of the tray. That may have some bearing on the story. IP: Logged |
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Polly Posts: 1970 |
posted 07-28-2012 02:03 PM
It looks like a map of Sri Lanka (Ceylon). You've got it upside down, with south on top. IP: Logged |
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ahwt Posts: 2334 |
posted 07-28-2012 03:00 PM
That is country. All the inlets are now explained except the one that looks like a bird. Thanks Polly. IP: Logged |
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jersey Posts: 1203 |
posted 07-28-2012 05:19 PM
Hello again. I located a similar tray....a gift to James Grant of UNICEF to commemorate his visit to Sri lanka september 2, 1984. Jersey IP: Logged |
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Kimo Posts: 1627 |
posted 07-28-2012 08:54 PM
Wow, what a small world - I knew Jim Grant and his son and his wife. Lovely family. IP: Logged |
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ahwt Posts: 2334 |
posted 07-28-2012 10:56 PM
Jersey, you should get the gold medal for research. Great find. Mr. Grant’s tray has quite of few more elephants and a few other differences, but it could have been the inspiration for the one I found in Nashville. I wonder if UNICEF ever has a display of all the items that have been given to their organization. Thanks for finding this link Jersey. IP: Logged |
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Hose_dk Posts: 400 |
posted 07-29-2012 02:32 AM
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Hose_dk Posts: 400 |
posted 07-29-2012 11:51 AM
OK I had found a place (unknown to me and with no recommend in mind) They where selling these trays. And may I say - when your country has that shape - its actually a good idea to use it in this way. I am sure that local silversmith supply when at the island. IP: Logged |
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Polly Posts: 1970 |
posted 07-29-2012 01:22 PM
Yes, it does seem like the sort of thing that would be made as a souvenir in a country with a tradition of silversmithing. I don't actually know anything about Sri Lankan silver work, but if handmade silver Sri-Lanka-shaped trays are a common souvenir, then they must have craftspeople who do it. How's that for circular reasoning? IP: Logged |
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jersey Posts: 1203 |
posted 07-29-2012 02:47 PM
Hello ahwt! Thank you for your kind words. Must give credit to Polly who ID'd the country which helped in my search, and to Scott for posting the picture. I too, have a fondness for elephants going back to my love of Dumbo! Looking around my house I have quite a few, including a large Hutchenreuther one which has a broken tusk but he presides proudly over my manger at Christmas. He was a gift from the Luckenback's years ago along with the nativity set. If you wish to see more of UNICEF gifts do a search for UNICEF gifts & memorabilia. That should bring up a whole list for you. Glad I was of help to you, enjoy your tray! Oh, by the way can you please give the measurements of your tray please? Thank you again. Jersey IP: Logged |
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ahwt Posts: 2334 |
posted 07-29-2012 05:10 PM
The tray is 12 inches by 9 ½ inches. The design of this tray seems to be very popular and perhaps is still for sale in Sir Lanka. The Sir Lanka people must be pleased with their history with the elephant and as Hose_DK mentioned their country outline does have a pleasing shape – particularly the mysterious looking inlets. The elephant in Sir Lanka is a largest subspecies of the Asian elephant. Maybe only the largest elephants made the trip from India to Sir Lanka over Adam’s Bridge. I did look at all the artifacts that UNICEF has on their website. There are a few other silver items, but one of the most interesting items is a replica of their Nobel Peace prize awarded in 1965. I wonder where the original is and if the replica is made of gold. IP: Logged |
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