Here is another item that my family will be keeping.
The elephant below was sent from India in 1942 by my eldest brother who was in the RAF. Unfortunately Nellie the Elephant got caught in a bombing raid that damaged quite a bit of Mount Pleasant Post Office in London.
When she finally reached us her trunk was off plus her tusks were missing.
My father glued the trunk and God knows what he glued it with because its still stuck to this day. No superglue then but whatever it was it certainly made a good job of Nellies trunk. She stood for many years balancing the man on top of her trunk in my parents the window but still minus her tusks.
When it was handed down to me I went to a jewellers and bought two necklaces that had a nacre ( mother-of-pearl ) tusk hanging on them.
Hubby put the tusks in the holes where the original ones should have gone and Hey Presto here is Nellie in all her glory.
She has been a great conversation piece no matter who calls and children are fascinated watching the man spin on the top.
Nellie started me off collecting carved animals from worldwide.
Everytime family or friends went abroad they came back with a carved animal for me.
I love them all even the kiwi from NZ.
Not even a chimp can paint something that's recognisable.