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In the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and fifty, on a beautiful Spring day in St. Petersburg, Fuzzy fell in love with Precious. Thus began a lifetime quest. Fuzzy was Mrs. Hawtense Conrad's nickname, and Precious the name she gave to a little pink elephant figurine, delightfully posed with a small blue hat perched jauntily upon her head. Over forty years of avid collecting has resulted in over a thousand elephants of every size, shape, color and material. Whether single elephants, herds of elephants, elephants on bridges, or families of elephants, they are all here.
Actually, Mrs. Conrad began purchasing small white elephants in the 1940's, which sold for ten cents at the local Woolworth's store, but her avid collecting began with precious. The elephants are made from a variety of materials, from the ceramic, made by Mrs. Conrad herself, to the manufactured and the handmade. Elephants made of glass - including hand blown crystal, cobalt, clay, wicker, various woods - including ebony, paper, alabaster, ivory, cloth, plastic, various metals - including brass, even seashells and coral, and nearly every man-made material are on display.
The collection emphasizes the utilitarian side of elephant collecting. In addition to ornamental statues and figurines, there are elephant bookends, tables, incense burners, wind chimes, greeting cards, lamps, baskets, vases, planters, toys, a bank, a carousel, puzzles, pictures, photographs, candle holders, a can opener, cups dishes, salt and pepper shakers, toothpick holders, cookie jars and cans, night lights, a pillow and case, a light switch plate, pocket books, key chains, earrings, pins, necklaces, powder jars, an Avon perfume bottle, ash trays, pipe holders, and cigarette boxes. Can there be any other uses?
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