Large Thai Elephant Carving

This large hand-carved elephant figurine is made from Rain Tree wood in a village around an hour outside Chiang Mai in northern Thailand. Rain Tree is a dense, close-grained hardwood with a warm, golden-brown tone that varies naturally from piece to piece. It is sometimes referred to locally as acacia, though the two are unrelated.

Production is shared across the community, with different households responsible for each stage: from rough sawing and shaping to detailed carving and final sanding, supporting a traditional, cooperative way of working. After carving, the elephants are taken to Chiang Mai to be painted and finished.

Ethically sourced and handmade throughout, each elephant shows slight variations in shape, grain and finish, reflecting the many hands involved in its creation and making every piece unique.