THEY WERE MADE FOR A CHINESE EMPEROR AND OWNED BY AN ENGLISH ARISTOCRAT. NOW THE 250 YEAR OLD JADE ELEPHANTS, MEASURING JUST 7.5 INCHES LONG BY 6.5 INCHES HIGH, ARE EXPECTED TO FETCH MILLIONS OF POUNDS AT AUCTION. THE EXQUISITE SCULPTURES WERE MADE FOR EMPEROR QIANLONG IN THE 1700s AND RESEMBLE A SIMILAR PIECE WHICH SOLD FOR MORE THAN £3 MILLION LAST YEAR. IT IS THOUGHT THEY WERE BROUGHT TO BRITAIN IN THE 19th CENTURY BEFORE BECOMING THE TREASURED POSSESSIONS OF MARY ANN MARTEN, OBE, WHO DIED EARLIER THIS YEAR. ONE OF THE QUEEN MOTHER'S GODDAUGHTERS, MARTEN WAS A TRUSTEE OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM AND A GREAT PATRON OF THE ARTS. THE ELEPHANTS, WHICH HAVE A BIDDING START PRICE OF £250,000, ARE MARKED WITH THE QIANLONG STAMP AND WERE CREATED TO SIT ON EITHER SIDE OF ONE OF HIS THRONES. A SYMBOL OF STRENGTH AND HAPPINESS, THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN DECORATED WITH ORNAMENTAL COVERINGS LAID OUT ACROSS THEIR BACKS. THEY ARE BEING SOLD ON 19.MAY BY AUCTIONEERS WOOLEY AND WALLIS IN SALISBURY, WILTSHIRE, WHO SOLD A SIMILAR, SINGLE, JADE WATER BUFFALO FOR £3.4 MILLION.
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