A Herd Instinct

(1/27/2012)

On Saturday, January 14, 2012 the ABN AMRO Elephant Parade Grand Auction wound up in Singapore, managing to raise $1,781,000 from the sale of a large "herd" of fiberglass elephants painted by leading artists from around the world.

S$445,000 of the total sales were set aside for The Asian Elephant Foundation and Wildlife Reserves Conservation Fund.

The Elephant sales took place in two rounds. The opening auction on January 12, 2012, was held at the St. Regis Hotel where 38 elephants were sold by leading auction house Sotheby's. The remaining elephants went under the auction hammer on Sunday, January 14, 2012 at a Champagne brunch and Champagne sundowner held at the Fullerton Hotel.

Fetching top dollar at the auction was an elephant painted by renowned Filipino artist Ronald Venture, selling for S$62,000.

Mike Spits, co-founder of Elephant Parade said: “I am very pleased that these exceptional and lovable works of art have found new homes. At the same time, we have also managed to raise funds for The Asian Elephant Foundation and the Wildlife Reserves Singapore Conservation Fund, which will be channeled to ensure a sustainable future for our ecosystem and its inhabitants. Through this exhibition in Singapore, I am very happy to see that our Elephant Parade family has grown bigger, which means more people are now aware about the plight of the Asian elephant.”

Also participating in the Singapore auction were the owners of Bali Adventure Tours and the Elephant Safari Park and Lodge, Nigel and Yanie Mason.

The Masons purchased "Damaged Dumbo" by Renowned Filipino artist Renato L. Barja, Jr. and "Shivakari" by Singapore-based Australian artist Katrina Read.

Paying some US$30,000 for the two elephants via the Sotheby "on-line auction, these two objects d'art will soon be on display at the Elephant Museum located at the entrance to their popular Elephant Safari Park in Taro, near Ubud in Bali.

[Bali Elephant Tour - Elephant Safari Tour]