Elephants

The Schoenhut Elephants The elephant was among the first animals produced in 1903 and its production continued until the 1930s. Three body designs were made - the plain, the curved, and the reduced. The bodies were painted gray or greenish grey. Howdah blankets and forehead blankets were sometimes added to the regular size elephants. Many fabrics were used to make these blankets. Click here to read more about the elephant designs:
Photo by Jim Sneed from the collection of Jim Sneed
Fat body, glass eyes The earliest elephant's body is slightly contoured and its forehead flat. The ears and tusks are leather, the tail is twine, and the trunk tip is a molded hard rubber. The hooves are articulated. Keller Style I - Common	Photo by Jim Sneed from the collection of Andy Yaffee Fat body, glass eyes, howdah blanket The elephants with howdah blankets are the most desirable. Blankets came in a number of cloth designs. The head cloth is sometimes different from the body cloth. Keller Style I - Very Scarce Photos by Jim Sneed from the collection of Andy Yaffee
Photo by Jim Sneed from the collection of Susan Turner Contoured body At some point, the elephant's body was given a more contoured, realistic look that defined better its shoulders and hips. The head was also reshaped, especially on its forehead and lower lips. Keller Style II - Common	Photo by Jim Sneed from the collection of Susan Turner Contoured body, glass eyes, howdah blanket The howdah blankets for the contoured body elephants usually have yellow fringe. Keller Style II - Very Scarce Photo by Jim Sneed from the collection of Jim Sneed The elephant's ears were designed to be snapped into a spread or listening position. After 80+ years, the leather ears usually harden to the point that they can no longer be spread.
Contoured body, painted eyes Keller Style III - Common	Contoured body, painted eyes, howdah blanket Keller Style III - Very Scarce
Photo by Judith Lile Reduced size, painted eyes The reduced size elephant has one-piece legs and a straight hard rubber trunk tip.	Photo by Jim Sneed from the collection of Susan Turner Reduced size, decal eyes
Photo by Jim Sneed from the collection of Jim Sneed Miniature size The miniature elephant was introduced in 1927 in sets along with the miniature clown and miniature donkey. Notice that the tusks are painted on and there is no rubber trunk tip. Photo by Jim Sneed from the collection of Jim Sneed	Photo by Jim Sneed from the collection of Jim Sneed The three sizes of PE elephants
Photo by Judith Lile The blanketed elephant is the most desired version. Blankets were made from a variety of material. The head pieces were often different from the back blanket. Photo by Jim Sneed from the collection of Andy Yaffee	Photo by Jim Sneed from the collection of Andy Yaffee Later blankets were lined with yellow fringe. Photo by Jim Sneed from the collection of Jim Sneed
Photo by Jim Sneed from the collection of Andy Yaffee Earlier elephant blankets were trimmed with gold rickrack. Photo by Jim Sneed from the collection of Jim Sneed	Photo by Jim Sneed from the collection of Andy Yaffee The Dresden Star Elephant The head piece of this elephant features a Dresden paper star. Photos by Jim Sneed from the Andy Yaffee collection Photo by Jim Sneed from the Strong National Museum of Play collection
The reduced ringmaster looks good on the regular elephant. And so does the reduced clown. Photo by Jim Sneed
Photo by Jim Sneed from the collection of Jim Sneed	Photo by Jim Sneed from the collection of Jim Sneed
Photo by Jim Sneed from the collection of Jim Sneed
Photo by Jim Sneed from the collections of Deborah Wesler and Jim Sneed Elephant Butts Two carvings of the elephant rears have been noted. One the right is the usual smooth rear while on the left is one with a grove cut from the base of the tail to the belly.	Photo by Jim Sneed from the collection of Deborah Wesler. Elephant Butt A closer view of this unusual elephant's rear end.