1939 Easter Ceramic: "Glamour Bunny" Planter by Twin Winton

Details

Description

Rare pre-WWII Twin Winton Studios ceramic bunny planter from 1939. This piece was created by prolific sculptors and twin brothers … Read more Rare pre-WWII Twin Winton Studios ceramic bunny planter from 1939. This piece was created by prolific sculptors and twin brothers Don and Ross Winton of Pasadena, California. After the war, Don would go on to a celebrated artistic career, working for Disney and Hanna-Barbera, among others.

This charming piece comes from Twin Winton's earliest production period (1938-1941) and exemplifies the pre-WWII era when anthropomorphic animal figurines were becoming popular in American home decor. The somewhat glamorized, feminized styling of the bunny represents the distinctive aesthetic of this period - combining cuteness with slightly more adult styling that characterized certain decorative pieces of the late 1930s.

This rather sultry bunny siren sports a distinctive pink tutu/skirt with ruffled design, a period-appropriate hat, and a unique "hairstyle" with the ears styled back as if they were hair. Hand-painted details include pink nose and eyes with defined eyebrows and long eyelashes. Overall, the design is beautifully characteristic of Twin Winton's playful approach to animal designs.

This piece is particularly rare as all Twin Winton production was suspended during WWII when the company founders enlisted for military service, making their pre-war creations especially collectible.

Originally offered as a premium bisque ceramic form, this piece belongs to their line of high-quality blanks intended for artistic personalization by discerning hobbyists. This particular example shows skillful hand-painting and includes the artist's name etched into the bottom alongside the date "1939."

About Don Winton:
Twin Winton Studios was founded in 1938 by the artistically gifted twin brothers Don and Ross Winton in Pasadena, California. The twins became known for their whimsical, anthropomorphic animal designs, which were popular throughout the mid-century. After the war, Don Winton went on to sculpt for numerous major companies including Disney and Hanna-Barbera, creating designs for the Emmy Award and the Academy of Country Music Award. His work for Hanna-Barbera is particularly noteworthy, as he designed figurines for beloved characters from "The Huckleberry Hound Show" (1958-1962) and "The Quick Draw McGraw Show" (1959-1961). These collectible figurines were produced by Ideas Inc. of Des Moines, Iowa, and are documented in "The Don Winton Designs Book" by Michael Ellis.

Dimensions:
* Height: 5 inches
* Width: 5.5 inches
* Depth: 4 inches
* Weight: Approximately 1 pound See less