Description
Elizabeth Arden Treasures of the Pharaohs Sacred Hippopotamus Candle Holder Box 1982
This vintage Elizabeth Arden Sacred Hippopotamus comes from the Treasures of the Pharaohs collection, issued in 1982 during a renewed wave of fascination with ancient Egypt. The piece combines cosmetic history, Egyptian Revival design, and decorative collectible appeal in a compact ceramic form.
The figure is modeled as a stylized white hippopotamus with a removable lid and original candle insert. Its smooth ceramic body is decorated with colorful Egyptian-inspired motifs in red, blue, green, black, and gold tones. The decoration gives the piece a cheerful yet unmistakably Egyptian Revival character, making it appealing both as an Elizabeth Arden collectible and as a small decorative object for collectors of Egyptian-themed design.
Elizabeth Arden and the Treasures of the Pharaohs Collection
During the late 1970s and early 1980s, Egyptian imagery appeared widely in fashion, jewelry, home décor, cosmetics, and decorative arts. Much of this renewed interest followed the international popularity of Tutankhamun exhibitions, which brought ancient Egyptian design back into public imagination.
Elizabeth Arden’s Treasures of the Pharaohs collection reflected that moment beautifully. The company created a series of decorative cosmetic and fragrance containers inspired by ancient Egyptian forms, symbols, animals, and mythological themes. These pieces were made in Japan exclusively for Elizabeth Arden and were intended to be both useful and collectible.
Rather than presenting perfume or scented products in ordinary packaging, Elizabeth Arden used sculptural ceramic forms that could remain on a vanity, dressing table, shelf, or collector’s cabinet long after the original product was used.
The Sacred Hippopotamus and Taweret
This piece is known as the Sacred Hippopotamus. The design appears to take inspiration from Taweret, the ancient Egyptian hippopotamus goddess associated with protection, fertility, childbirth, and domestic well-being.
In ancient Egypt, the hippopotamus carried powerful symbolic meaning. Real hippopotamuses were dangerous animals, yet the female hippopotamus also became a protective image connected with motherhood and the home. Taweret was often shown as a powerful female hippopotamus figure who guarded women, children, and households from harm.
That symbolism makes this Elizabeth Arden piece more interesting than a simple animal-shaped candle holder. It translates an ancient protective household image into a modern vanity object, blending mythology, design, and cosmetic culture in a playful but meaningful way.
Egyptian Revival Style
The decoration on this piece follows the spirit of Egyptian Revival rather than copying a single ancient object exactly. The white ceramic body gives the form a clean modern look, while the painted motifs recall ancient Egyptian ornament through geometric shapes, lotus-like elements, rich color accents, and stylized linework.
The combination of white ceramic, vivid color, and gold detail gives the hippopotamus a striking presence despite its modest size. It works well as a small display piece, vanity collectible, candle holder, trinket container, or decorative accent within an Egyptian Revival collection.
Condition
The ceramic body is in very good vintage condition with no obvious chips or cracks observed. The painted decoration remains bright and attractive, and the original underside mark is clearly visible.
The original candle remains present. Based on visual inspection, the candle appears unused or only lightly tested, although the exact burn history is unknown. The dark color visible in the candle area may relate to the wax itself and age. The circular indentation around the wick area may be from storage, age, or minimal testing.
As with all vintage cosmetic and candle items, this piece is offered primarily as a collectible decorative object rather than for active candle use.
Display and Collecting Appeal
The Sacred Hippopotamus is a charming piece for collectors of Elizabeth Arden, vintage vanity items, Egyptian Revival objects, or animal-form ceramics. Its compact size makes it easy to display, and the surviving candle and original Elizabeth Arden mark add to its collectible value.
It would look especially attractive displayed with Egyptian Revival jewelry, perfume bottles, vanity accessories, small ceramics, or other Treasures of the Pharaohs pieces from the same Elizabeth Arden collection.
