A Bevy of Bunnies

By Marni Elyse Katz
April 15, 2011

We seem to be on a pop culture hop down the bunny design trail. First, there was last year's Oscar-winning, Tim- Burton- directed "Alice in Wonderland," with Michael Sheen as the White Rabbit, who Alice follows into Wonderland and encounters several more times throughout her journey, and with Paul Whitehouse as the March Hare, a delirious cook who we meet in the tea party scene at his Hare House. Currently, the animated film "Hop," starring Russell Brand as the voice of Easter Bunny's teenage son (on his way to Hollywood to find fame and fortune) is now in its second week at #1 at the box office.

Alice in Wonderland

Indie fashion and interior designers and tastemakers also seem to be reveling in the little critter. Laetitia Crahay, head of accessories and jewelry for Chanel and artistic director of the historic Parisian millinery house Maison Michel, told Marie Claire last year that she has “a passion for rabbits.” Indeed, the lace bunny ear headpiece she designed and modeled was an instant hit.

left: Cast iron bunnies at South Stream Design, a shop in Provincetown, Cape Cod; right: Cement bunnies at upstate New York antique shop Kabinett & Kammer, which now has a new outpost on New York's Lower East Side.

Boston area architect Deborah Bakin displays a row of rabbits on a shelf in her family room.

And of course, this is the Chinese Year of the Rabbit, too.

With Easter right around the corner, we can't help but think it's high time to fill your basket with all things bunny. We turned to eBay online auctions, where sales of items with the listing term "Easter" are up 71% and eBay sales with the listing term "bunny" are up 26 percent in the past 30 days (3/7-4/5) compared to the prior period, to source some Easter-inspired rabbits that are both classic and contemporary favorites. Now grab a carrot and get hopping (and shopping)!

Soft Sole Leather Baby Shoes With Bunny

(buy it now price, $9.99)

Baby surely doesn’t need another stuffie. These booties are practical, and just as cute.
Rabbit Ring

(buy it now price, $4.24)

This ring has the look of a piece crafted by an indie jewelry designer, but the price is closer to something out of a gumball machine. Pick up a few for your Easter-celebrating friends.
Chinese Netsuke Ox Bone Rabbit Sculpture

(buy it now price, $9.99)

Miniature sculptures, called Netsuke in Japan, were important artistic expressions during the Edo period. They reflected aspects of Japanese folklore and life.
Jellycat Pitter Patter Bunny Rabbit Stuffed Animal

(buy it now price, $15.99)

It’s hard to resist the appealingly floppy and snuggly animals by Jellycat on a regular day; Easter’s the perfect excuse to indulge.
Cast Iron Bunny Rabbit Garden Statue

(buy it now price, $12.99)

Gardeners go to great lengths to keep the bunnies out of their vegetables, but we seriously doubt they’d object to this decorative cutie.
Hare Bunny Rabbit Garden Charm Bracelet

(buy it now price, $29)

Easter baskets needn’t be filled with fattening, cavity-inducing candy. Go light on the chocolate and jellybeans in favor of a longer-lasting, and much more charming, present.
Craft Smart Solid Bunny Rubber Stamp

(buy it now price, $1.99)

This simple silhouette is ideal for making understated Easter cards. Try stamping on recycled cutouts made from brown paper bags.
Year of the Rabbit Hermes Silk Scarf

Hermes often illustrates equestrian themes on its iconic scarves, but here, the brand takes a turn to the East for the Chinese New Year.
Man with Rabbit Mask Print by Andy Warhol

(buy it now price, $24.99)

This giclee print of a Warhol photo would make an offbeat Easter gift for a hipster with a new apartment.
Primitive Wooden Pull Toy Bunny

(buy it now price, $13)

Toddlers will love to bring this folk art bunny for a walk; parents will appreciate it’s old-fashioned (non-electronic) nature.
The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams

(buy it now price, $5.99)

An unused paperback version of the classic story from 1922 in which a much-loved child’s stuffed rabbit becomes real. An absolute must read for any little one attached to his or her “lovey.”
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo

(buy it now price, $12.59)

Contemporary author for young readers Kate DiCamillo (you know her from Because of Winn Dixie), tells an impeccable tale of a proud toy rabbit, Edward Tulane, who travels across the country after being separated from his owner.