The Elephant Parade Mela Raises $1.5 Million
Posted on July 1, 2010
The Elephant Parade ended last night with the auction of thirty-one 6 foot tall fibreglass model elephants by Sotheby's at The Elephant Parade Mela. The event, hosted by Goldie Hawn, Priya & Cyrus Vandrevala, Sir Evelyn de Rothschild, Tanaz Dizadjl and Mark Shand at the Royal Hospital Chelsea in London, raised $1.5 million from the auction alone in aid of the Elephant Family charity. All funds raised will go to The Elephant Family charity and over 15 UK conservation charities working to support the conservation of the Asian Elephant.
650 of London's international glitterati enjoyed an Indian inspired champagne drinks reception with the chance to roam amongst the colourful herd, before heading to the south lawn. Mark Shand and Goldie Hawn opened the evening's proceedings with a heartfelt speech about their own experiences with Elephants before inviting attendees to enjoy a meal of roasted pepper tortilla with gazpacho soup, rump of spring lamb with pea puree and crushed new potatoes with a pudding of strawberry cheesecake followed by coffee and petit fours. The auction offered the chance to bid for the top 31 elephants from the parade created by celebrities, artists and designers including Marc Quinn, Alice Tempereley, Jack Vettriano, Tommy Hilfiger, Matthew Williamson and Alice Tempereley. The highlight of the auction was 'The Singing Butler Rides Again', an elephant designed by iconic artist Jack Vettriano which raised an extraordinary GBP155,000.
The 31 elephants which went under the hammer included a white-coloured elephant beside an enormous bronze flower, also white, created by sculptor Marc Quinn which raised GBP65,000; and artist Peter Beard's Mammoth Metaphor elephant which went for GBP70,000. Both elephants were sponsored by the Indian private equity investor Cyrus Vandrevala and his wife Priya.