Pair of 19th Century Chinese Cloisonné Elephant Gu Vases

Fine pair of 19th century Chinese cloisonné enamel elephant vases, each modeled as a richly caparisoned elephant standing with trunk raised and supporting an archaic gu-form vase on its back. The pair is decorated in vibrant cloisonné enamel with red, green, white, yellow, and blue ornament on a turquoise ground, accented with gilt-metal borders and details. The elephants are adorned with elaborate saddle blankets and scrolling floral decoration, while the tall mounted vases feature flared rims, paneled ornament, and intricate enamelwork. In Chinese decorative arts, the elephant is an auspicious symbol associated with strength, wisdom, peace, and good fortune. Elephant-form vessels carrying vases are often associated with the rebus “taiping youxiang,” meaning “peaceful times” or “when there is peace, there are signs.” Highly decorative and collectible, this mirror-image pair has strong presence despite its compact scale. They would display beautifully on a mantel, console, bookshelf, vitrine, or as part of an Asian works of art collection. Dimensions: 11.25" H x 5.5" W x 10" D.