Antique English Victorian Brass Chimney Ornament ~ "Jumbo"

A finely modelled late 19th Century brass chimney ornament depicting "Jumbo", the African Elephant which so captured the imagination and the hearts of the British public during the early 1880's. Born in 1861, Jumbo, then in London Zoo, was sold in 1881 to P.T. Barnum, owner of the Barnum & Bailey Circus, known as "The Greatest Show on Earth", for 10,000 dollars. So great was popular objection when Barnum's proposal became known, that 100,000 school children wrote to Queen Victoria begging her not to sell the elephant. The petition was, of course ignored, but the elephant's fame turned its name into a household word, with "Jumbo size" subsequently coming to mean "very large". Love This Item? ~ Why Not Make us an Offer? Our Warranty:- Buy it, enjoy it and take good care of it, subject only to these conditions, we undertake to accept this item back at any time and to credit the original purchase price against further purchases. Just one of the thousands of warranted antiques ~ vintage collectables ~ catalogues and antiques reference works for sale at our main website, https://www.applecrossantiques.com