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America’s First Elephant On this day in 1796, America’s first elephant arrived in New York City.  Captain Jacob Crowninshield purchased her in India and sailed from Calcutta.  The captain bought her on speculation—for $450, including transit—expecting he could profit from exhibiting her. And exhibit her he did!  For more than a dozen years, she was trundled from New England through the Carolinas and...
Trumpeting Elephant Sculpture
Trumpeting Elephant Sculpture — $58
Elephant, March!     When Cyrus the Great founded the First Persian Empire in 550 BC, it was the largest dominion in the world. Such a remarkable empire required cutting-edge defense—in this case, elephants!  True, elephants were difficult to train and costly to maintain. But they did provide a competitive edge (at least for a while).  When Alexander the Great came to...
Working Elephant Bookends
Working Elephant Bookends — $350
Elephant Block This little guy—a baby elephant—is a doorstop and was made of cast iron from the 1920’s. He trumpets to his mother—while never leaving his post (right beside your open door). Please click on the photo above to learn more about him.   Today—and daily through 23 December—LEO Design will be open from Noon ’til 10:00 pm. See new merchandise first!...
Elephant Walk Most bookends are a pair of identical metal sculptures: two identical dogs, two identical temples, two identical busts.  One bookend sits at one end of the collection, the second sits at the other end.  Much less common is a “mirrored” pair of bookends—a duo which face each other (as mirrored opposites).  These are less common because it takes more work...
Thomas Nast and his Elephant Thomas Nast was the popular and powerful cartoonist, lecturer, and political thinker of the American 19th century.  He did much of his work for Harper’s Weekly in New York City. On this day in 1874, Nast introduced the Elephant as the symbol for the Republican party—a mascot which survives to this day. Nast has been called “The Father of the...
All Elephants are Lucky! Some people can be so unreasonable!  There are the superstitious amongst us who believe an elephant MUST have his trunk extended upwards or they want nothing to do with him.  Not only is this conviction unscientific, but even real elephants don’t keep their trunks permanently extended.  To require the poor creature to hold-up his (heavy) appendage permanently—only to satisfy our superstitious...
No White Elephants Here Legend has it that the King of Siam would present courtiers—specifically annoying or obnoxious ones—with the royal gift of a White Elephant.  Despite the gift’s incredible rarity, the animal was such a burden to sustain that the unpleasant courtier would be ruined financially just trying to keep the animal fed and maintained. Today, the term “white elephant” refers to any...
Elephants Can Read! These two elephant chaps, sit reading The Times.  Are they horrified or amused by what they read? They are part of my latest acquisitions, found while traveling in “The Near Mid-West.” Come into the shop to see them—they should be ready for sale New Year’s Eve—or find them in the on-line shop in a week or so.  
All Elephants Are Lucky     I've sold dozens of elephant bookends over the years.  Elephants have always been a classic and popular theme in "bookshelf accoutrements."  I guess I also like the idea of promoting the welfare of elephants living today—both those in captivity and those in the wild. At some point—I guess it started with the Feng Shui trend of the Oughts—a...
Countdown to Father's Day - VI     As we approach Father's Day, we'd like to share a few select items—perfect for that "Dad with Great Taste."  See them—and many other great gift options—in the on-line store at LEO Design. Few animals are as impressive as a massive bull elephant—worked-up, stomping and ready to protect his family.  These majestic creatures will often live to the ripe-old-age...