It is very rare to find examples of this type of gold weight depicting an elephant with a bird on its back.
The elephant tusks are large and curved adjoining the end of its trunk. The bird sits leaning forward with its beak resting on the base of one of the tusks.
The surface is worn and smooth and its likely this weight would date to the 18th Century. Other example in Tom Phillips book AFRICAN GOLDWEIGHTS p.147 are dated 17th -19th Century.
Estimated Period: 18th-19th Century
Length: 5cm
Height: 4cm
(One of the elephants front legs has been restored)
(Click on images to enlarge)
