Brass Elephant Chariot Temple Toy From Andhra Pradesh - Late 19th Century Desks Condition: Weathered paint

Condition: Weathered paint

An exceptionally well carved merchant€™s cash box

and the two forms of truth

handcrafted in teak and finished in beautifully weathered green painted tones

Pieces of this type were traditionally used as flower stands or tea tables and were often made in pairs

Brass Elephant Chariot Temple Toy From Andhra Pradesh - Late 19th Century Desks Condition: Weathered paintThis Indian bronze elephant towing a chariot dates to 1890 1910 and is from Andhra Pradesh. This style of wheeled toy is commonly known as a temple toy. They were given as gifts to temples as donations of devotion, usually to Shiva or Khandoba, a warrior avatar of Shiva. Children would often play with these donations resulting in the name, 'temple toy'. The elephant is mounted by a mahout, an elephant handler holding his ankus (a goad for elephants).