| 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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