This drinking vessel shaped as an elephant was produced at the workshop of Michael Perchin, a leading master of the Fabergé firm, in the early 20th century. Such figurines were modelled from the works of European masters who in the 16th-19th centuries made figurines of animals for decoration of services as well as drinking vessels in the form of animals. Japanese art (Fabergé possessed a fine collection of netsukes) was another source of inspiration. The firm of Fabergé fashioned figurines of rabbits, turkeys, monkeys, birds, frogs, dogs, elephants etc. which were used not only as table ornaments but had some utilitarian functions (bells, match-boxes, spirit-lamps, pitchers, drinking vessels etc.).