Cigar Smoking Gentleman Elephant Riding Sequined Red Balloon with Antique Bell Basket

9” tall; 11” tall with bead and tinsel pouf

SPECIAL FEATURES

Add class and sophistication to your tree this year with Mr. Elephant! I fell in love with this anthropomorphic character with his red dinner jacket and thought he would be great in a hot air balloon. I chose this vintage red teardrop shaped ornament - the perfect shape when flipped upside down. I repainted the scallop-shaped designs that were almost worn off with grey-silver glitter and added glammy green sequins inside each shape. After perusing through all my bells, an antique silver one with colors and textures that echoed the ribs of Mr. Elephant’s trunk caught my attention! I decorated the deeply embossed edges of the “basket” with antique lavender beads and antique Dresden paper star border. For a railing I added vintage paper gold Greek Key border and antique gold-and-red fabric trim.

Lovingly handcrafted and signed by Gail Giaimo.

THIS ONE-OF-A-KIND ORNAMENT IS MADE ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY WITH ANTIQUE AND VINTAGE MATERIALS to include: glass ornaments from the 1890s to1950s, most of which were made in Germany; colorful Victorian embossed & die-cut paper “scraps” and chromolithographs from postcards and advertising trade cards, made in Europe between the 1870s and 1910; antique and vintage fabric to include chenille, lace, ribbon and metallic trims; antique and vintage tinsel from tree garlands and old-stock German-made Lametta tinsel; gold and silver old-stock Dresden paper trims, crepe paper, foil, gift wrap, spun glass, and other embellishments. Items described as “antique” are dated between 1870 and the early 1900s (prior to WWI). Items described as “vintage” are dated between 1915 (WWI) and the 1950s (mid-century). We also use Dresden trims (only on occasion) and crinkle wire (always used for durability) made more recently in Germany using techniques and equipment that have not changed over the past 150 years.