Hobby Elephant (From Ed Connolly)

Hobby Elephant, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. Buckles: I am writing to you because of your interest in elephants. I am an avid circus fan, and have been a Circus Model Builder for over 35 years. Several years ago, my wife and I bought a condo in the Glen Oaks section of Sarasota. As far as we can tell, our apartment is about where the old elephant barns were. To make a long story short, later that summer I bought what I call a Hobby Elephant in an antique store on Clark Road in Sarasota. The owner said he had bought the toy at an estate auction in Sarasota. It appears to have been carved out of a single block of wood and is quite something to see. I am attaching a picture, and am hoping that you or some of your friends can tell me the history of this piece. It quite large and heavy, and obviously was ridden by children. Thanks you for your time. Ed & Kathleen Connolly