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Posh pachyderm made by Baccarat thunders to $112,175 at Lunds

Catherine Saunders-Watson
Catherine Saunders-Watson
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Circa-1886 Baccarat cave a liqueur in the form of an elephant transporting a palanquin. Sold for CA$144,000/US$112,175 at the Canadian auction house Lunds. Image courtesy of LiveAuctioneers and Lunds

VICTORIA, B.C., Canada – An opulent circa-1886 Baccarat cave a liqueur in the form of an elephant toting a palanquin has sold for CA$144,000/US$112,175 at the Canadian auction house Lunds.

Landing at the top of prices realized at Lunds’ April 26 auction, the extravagantly detailed crystal and gilt-bronze production was originally a gift from American entrepreneur/inventor George Westinghouse to his wife, Margaret Erskine Walker Westinghouse. For more than 130 years, the lavish liqueur caddy remained within the family, passing through successive generations of Westinghouse descendants in North America. Most recently, it was in the possession of a branch of the family residing in British Columbia.

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Side view of Baccarat elephant. Image courtesy of LiveAuctioneers and Lunds

“We feel quite certain that it was a specially commissioned piece, perhaps an anniversary gift,” said Lunds’ president, Peter Boyle. “The etched crystal vase, which was designed by Baccarat as an interchangeable alternative to the palanquin on the elephant’s back, is etched with the initials ‘MEWW,’ beneath a coronet. Those are the initials of Margaret Westinghouse.”

Boyle said that prior to the auction he spoke with Baccarat’s historian, who was unable to locate a special order for the Westinghouses. “She couldn’t be sure how many of these elephants Baccarat had produced, either. Original ones don’t seem to have a number.”

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Four frosted crystal liqueur bottles are housed in a removable Baccarat-marked white metal caddy. Image courtesy of LiveAuctioneers and Lunds

Boyle said it is quite possible that the piece is based on an elephant Baccarat designed for display at the 1878 World’s Fair in Paris. “Or, it might be a different design. Based on the Baccarat mark impressed into the metal caddy, it was made around 1886.”

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The Baccarat mark impressed into the metal caddy dates the elephant to circa 1886. Image courtesy of LiveAuctioneers and Lunds

Standing 25 inches high by 22 inches wide by 9¼ inches deep, the approximately 80-pound (36kg) cave a liqueur is almost entirely original and in good condition overall. The palanquin, which replicates the type of life-size litter used to transport passengers in 19th-century Asia, opens to reveal four frosted crystal liqueur bottles in a removable Baccarat-marked white metal caddy. In addition to its crystal and bronze accoutrements, the artwork’s metal surfaces – in particular those that are recessed – were artist-enhanced with enamel during its creation to render an appealing dimensional effect.

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The palanquin in its open position. Image courtesy of LiveAuctioneers and Lunds

There are a few exceptions to the elephant’s condition, Boyle said. It is missing seven of its original crystal cups, head harness mounts, and the tip of the elephant’s trunk. Boyle surmises that a professional restoration could cost as much as $50,000, as it would make no sense to cut corners. The winning bidder, an American and a first-time buyer at Lunds, “will likely restore it,” Boyle opined.

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The elephant is a splendid fellow with luxe detailing from tip to tail. Image courtesy of LiveAuctioneers and Lunds

Boyle said the Baccarat elephant is “one of the more unusual pieces” Lunds has sold since his father, John Boyle, bought the company in 1972. “The historical value of the piece is wonderful,” he said. “I had actually seen the elephant before, around 15 to 18 years ago when I did a probate appraisal for members of a branch of the [Westinghouse] family. The only other one like it that I knew of was at the Hotel de Crillon overlooking the Place de la Concorde in Paris, but the elephant was no longer there after the hotel’s renovation was completed five years ago. I remember wondering at the time of the appraisal if the Westinghouse family’s elephant would ever show up for sale. Little did I know that it would do so at my own auction house.”

To contact Lunds, call +1 250-386-3308 or email lunds@lunds.com. Visit them online at www.lunds.com.

The hammer price achieved by the Baccarat elephant was CA$120,000. A 20% buyer’s premium applied to total CA $144,000 or approximately US$112,175.

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