Reticulated Giraffe Figurine 9.5 Inches Tall

Nine and a half inches of height standing on a footprint the size of a coaster is a hard thing to cast, and it is the first thing to judge this piece on. The legs carry the whole mass, so the tolerance between standing steadily and leaning is much finer here than on any four square animal. On a flat shelf it holds. On a rug it does not.

• Tallest figure here. 9.5 inches high on a 7 inch body.
• Needs a hard surface. High mass over a small base, so soft ground lets it lean.
• Panels painted by hand. Each coat shape edged individually rather than screened on.
• Ossicones modeled in. The two head knobs are part of the sculpt, not applied after.

Standing a Top Heavy Model

Anything this tall concentrates weight high, and the usual failures are predictable: a thick rug, a stack of books, the edge of a shelf that has warped. Give it flat rigid support and it stays put for years, and that single choice matters more than anything else you do with it. It is also why it travels safest lying down.

Reading the Coat Pattern

Reticulated means net like, and the coat shows why: dark panels separated by narrow pale lines with clean straight edges. A Masai giraffe wears ragged, torn looking blotches instead. Once the edge quality registers, telling the two apart works from a photograph in about a second.

What Ossicones Actually Are

Those knobs are neither horn nor antler. They begin as cartilage, fuse to the skull as the animal matures and stay covered in skin and hair for life. Bulls wear the hair off the tops by swinging their necks at one another, so a bald pair on a living giraffe is a record of fights won and lost.

Questions About the Giraffe Figure

Will it stand on its own? On a hard level surface, yes. Soft or uneven ground is what makes it lean.

How tall is it? 9.5 inches, on a body 7 inches from nose to tail.

Which subspecies? Reticulated, shown by the sharp edged panels and narrow pale dividing lines.

What age is it for? Three and over, in lead and phthalate free PVC.