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Objects of Design #267: The Tale of the Diving Rabbit and Other Stories

diving rabbit tea towel from Ham
diving rabbit tea towel from Ham

I tend to steer clear of animal designs as too often they can be a bit cutesy. Not these. Monochrome, minimal and witty, these tea towels, mugs and prints from Hammade can come into my kitchen anytime.

mowing pig mug
mowing pig mug

At first glance, it’s just a bold silhouette but look more closely. Yes, that pig is mowing the lawn. And here he is again scooting down the hill.

black and white tea towel animal silhouette monochrome
scooting pig tea towel

The pictures are drawn by Jo Robinson (nee Ham) who depicts a group of animals going about the everyday banal tasks of humans. The playful drawings contrast beautifully with the stark minimalism of the designs.

black and white mug
rear view of the partying pig mug

Jo grew up on a farm. Yes, her name was Ham. Yes they did have pigs. Are you done now? As a child she filled her sketchbook with illustrations of rural life including the dogs, cats, rabbits, pigs, cows, donkeys and sheep as well as people around her as they went about their regular rituals. Somewhere along the way, the two crossed paths.

black and white animal prints from hammade.com
animal prints from Ham

The range includes prints, tea towels, mugs, notebooks and now, cards and prices are fantastically reasonable at £9 a tea towel and £12 for a mug. It’s all made in the UK too.

seesawing rabbit card
seesawing rabbit card

It’s hard to choose from all the designs. Which ones do you like best? I’m thinking a Christmas present of a mug and a tea towel to dry it up with.

 

 

Kate Watson-Smyth

The author Kate Watson-Smyth

I’m a journalist who writes about interiors mainly for The Financial Times but I have also written regularly for The Independent and The Daily Mail. My house has been in Living Etc, HeartHome and featured in The Wall Street Journal & Corriere della Sera. I also run an interior styling consultancy Mad About Your House. Welcome to my Mad House.

7 Comments

    1. Right then, this bench. So, Jo from H A M borrowed it from Bert and May (antique tiles and reclaimed wood) when Bert (or it might have been May) bought it from a Leominster antiques shop for £100. She thinks it’s an old school bench and they are looking to see if they can source any more. I will keep you all updated…

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