-Jumbo on Wheels c. 1883

This delightful toy elephant on wheels was made by the J. & E. Stevens Company of Connecticut, sometime between the 1840s and 1950s. It's cast iron, a material that allowed for mass production thanks to readily available molds. The elephant's substantial form is skillfully achieved with the casting process. Molten iron was poured into a mold, allowed to cool, and then finished. The wheels, with their intricate design, also demonstrate the precision of iron casting. Mass production meant affordable toys, and the word "Jumbo" proudly emblazoned on the elephant points to the popularity of P.T. Barnum’s famous elephant and the rise of consumer culture. This simple toy speaks volumes about the ingenuity of industrial processes, capturing the spirit of an era where manufacturing brought both joy and a reflection of society's changing relationship with leisure and consumption. It reminds us that even the simplest objects can carry rich cultural meaning.