Granite: 5 x 5 x 4ft. 3 tonnes. Location: on exhibition at Edinburgh’s West End.  For Sale

Read this fascinating piece of Edinburgh history that links with the sculpture.

The Baby Elephant keeps alive the memory of an amusing incident from Edinburgh’s transport past. When the current North Bridge was constructed, completing in 1897, linking Princes Street with the High Street, the townsfolk of Edinburgh were not convinced it was safe. The bridge was barely used and became considered a white elephant.
To prove its safety credentials the city borrowed twelve elephants from local circuses, and held an elephant parade up and down the bridge. Thousands turned out expecting to see the bridge collapse under the weight of the elephants. Of course the structure survived the big march, and is still standing 118 years after the twelve grey elephants transformed the white elephant structure.

Researched by Iain MacPhail – City Centre Programme Manager.

To  see unique footage of the creation of the Baby Elephant go to the right margin at LATEST NEWS ON VIDEO scroll down to Ronald Rae returns to carving granite Parts One, Two, Three to its completion in Part Four.