A large Edo period pottery figure in the shape of a parade elephant carrying a massive Buddhist Prayer drum on its back signed and dated to 1841.Both the saddle and Drum are created separately to fit together, the saddle removable to reveal the hollow center which would have been filled with ash and held the burning incense.The saddle is dated inside Tenpo 12 and signed by the 73 year old man Ei-o followed by a seal reading Ei-O. The same stamp has been impressed into the elephants back left leg. It is (assembled) 42 x 19 x 60 cm (16-1/2 x 8 x 24 inches). There is a chip in two of the flames coming off the central drum disc, and there is an old repair along the bottom edge above where it fits into the saddle. Otherwise aside from typical firing cracks associated with this type of figure which formed naturally in the kiln, it is in surprisingly good condition.
