A Pair of Chinese Cizhou Elephant Candle or Incense Holders

Late Ming or early Qing dynasty, 17th century, each elephant is standing on four legs that merge into rectangular base, the elephant has painted eyes and a saddle cloth hand painted in brown on a creamy white slip under a clear glaze, two candle holders in brown glaze top each elephant with circular drip holders.

Each 8 x 5 x 2 1/4 in.

From the Estate of the late Businessman and Conservationist, Russell M. Leiman, Durham, North Carolina Russell Leiman built a significant portion of his career in Asian financial and corporate markets. Based in the major business centers of Hong Kong and Tokyo in the 1970s and 1980s, he advised and managed operations for global firms entering Asian markets, navigating the region’s diverse regulatory environments and rapidly growing economies. His expertise centered on structuring investments, developing multinational business strategies, and aligning Western corporate objectives with the business culture and market realities of East and Southeast Asia. At 50 years old, he moved his focus from finance to philanthropy, becoming deeply involved with The Nature Conservancy in Asia, where he helped apply private-sector financial models to support conservation initiatives across the region.

Some wax residue to candle drip holders; one candle prick has some chips, break and repair to stem.