Brass Elephant Chariot Temple Toy From Andhra Pradesh - Late 19th Century Desks An exceptionally well carved merchant€™s

An exceptionally well carved merchant€™s cash box

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Condition: Weathered paint

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Brass Elephant Chariot Temple Toy From Andhra Pradesh - Late 19th Century Desks An exceptionally well carved merchant€™sThis 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).