Gilt silver hat ornament which is not only exceptional because of its sturdy and weighty quality but also because of the fact that it represents a man on an elephant. The expression ‘Ride an elephant’ is close in pronunciation to ‘Good Fortune’ or Auspicious’ (jixiang) and thus a person on an elephant symbolizes ‘May there be Good Fortune’ (jixiang). The ornament dates from the Qing Dynasty (1644 – 1912) and could be early 19th century. Height 4.3 cm. Width 2.6 cm.