Large reclining elephant by The Townsends Ceramic Co. and signed on the back end as seen in fourth photo.
Creators of life-like animal sculptures, these were the trademark of, the now closed, Townsend Ceramic & Glass Inc. Starting out in 1964 as Alaska Arts, the company closed in December 2004.
Artist Ann Townsend worked in several different art fields. She was born in an Alaskan fishing village of Norwegian parents.
Her first commercial works were hand-painted cup and saucer sets of fine china. She later went on to creating Alaskan jewelry, as well as designing and painting men's ties. From this early start factory, Ann later became well-known as an Alaskan artist of landscapes and portraits.
After her three sons were grown, the Townsend family moved to Florida, where Ann obtained her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Florida Atlantic University. At this time Townsend Ceramics & Glass Inc was founded by the family.
After making the initial sculptures, a mold was made to create the individual pieces. All of ceramic pieces were made entirely in the USA.
Townsend Ceramics & Glass Inc closed their doors on December 31, 2004.
Condition is good with no chips, cracks or structural damage. Elephant measures about 18" long from trunk to tail, 6 3/4" wide at its widest point and stands 7 1/4" tall at its tallest point.
Product code: Factory Vintage reclining elephant Townsends ceramics