Co-Operative Flint Elephant

The Co-Operative Flint Glass Company was founded in 1879 as the Beaver Falls Co-Operative Glass Company. As the early name indicates, this company was located in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. Several styles of this 4.5" high and 7" long elephant covered container were produced in the late 1920's. The lid forms the back of the elephant. The various shapes of lids include a natural back, a flower frog style back with holes, an ashtray back with cigarette rests, a back with a recessed rectangle, and a back with a circular indentation that holds a silver ball. The bottoms of all the containers are the same. Colors made include amber transparent, black, cobalt, crystal, crystal with fired-on colors, green transparent, milk and pink transparent ruby, and light blue transparent. There are at least two different shades of light blue--aqua and a deeper Ritz blue. In 1981, these elephants were made in crystal and filled with red, white and blue jelly beans for distribution to members of the National Federation of Republican Women. In 1983, the Tiara Exclusives Division of Indiana Glass Company marketed this elephant in pink satin, blue satin, green satin and crystal with an etching. Later, the mold was acquired by a Midwest importer and reproductions have been seen in pink, green ruby and cobalt from this source. These later issues all have a natural back.