How Maia de Raat hit the jackalope jackpot

De Raat’s process is simple: “I draw and erase, then draw, then erase … until I like what I see.”

Rome is Anthropologie’s buyer for decorative and gift merchandise. She says, “Each year when we attend the Stationery Show, we are looking for great new artists and vendors to collaborate with. We set out last year to find new formats, with single cards being at the top of our list. When we found Maia’s work, it was the perfect fit with our fall concept — and also satisfied our infatuation with whimsical jackalopes.” Rome adds that de Raat’s detailed description of each creature (see Bunnylope bios below), letterpress-printed on the back, makes the cards stand out even more within Anthropologie’s assortment.

De Raat’s pencil-and-ink illustrations are meticulous, and her “field scientist notes” give each breed of bunnylope a persona. I suspect de Raat has a bunnylobe in her brain, and my editorial nose twitches at the scent of a book.…

Grey Angora Bunnylope, prized for its yarn. © Dandy Lion Press

Bunnylope bio: Angora Bunnylopes are known for their long silky locks and fancy twirling horns. This grey one is of a rare subspecies originally from the Çermenikë region in Albania. Garments made from this breed of Bunnylope’s yarn are said to feel like rose petals against the skin and have the added advantage of being both water- and meteor-proof. For many centuries, the only clothing allowed to be made with this yarn were the layettes for future Ottoman Empire rulers or for the offspring of crowned heads of Europe.

This domesticated Bunnylope’s fur color is provided by the paper stock. © Dandy Lion Press

Bunnylope bio: The domesticated Bunnylope tends to be a one-person animal, bonding with only a single individual, happy to cuddle in a lap and coming when called. Unfortunately they have a tendency to randomly attack the other members of the household. Some will take this to an extreme and even stalk people they particularly dislike, hiding in the bathtub or on top of the wardrobe and charging out unexpectedly. For reasons known only to themselves, they seem to feel a kinship with mailmen, census takers and parrots.

A cozy, toast-toned domesticated Bunnylope and a springy Ram Horned Bunnylope (on Mohawk Via Leaf 80# Cover) completed Anthropologie’s initial assortment. © Dandy Lion Press

De Raat takes on client projects as her schedule permits. On her website she announces, “Dandy Lion Press embraces your bespoke letterpress projects. Not only, but we air kiss it on both cheeks. We rejoice that you grasp the gravitas and pomp of letterpressed artifacts.” We rejoice to read it!

At the National Stationery Show last year, Dandy Lion Press also caught the eye of PaperChase, based in the United Kingdom. The buyer for the flagship location in London — a veritable department store of papery pleasures — selected two Bunnylopes and seven other creatures. Another PaperChase store then hopped on it too!

Blowing Bubbles Fish and Flying Goldfish crossed the pond to PaperChase. © Dandy Lion Press

New Dandy Lion Press designs will debut next week at the National Stationery Show, and we expect them to cause a lovely flap — from forest and farmyard to the Far North. This year, de Raat will be one of 11 printers in the Ladies of Letterpress booth (2362–2368) — which will be twice as spacious as in 2010.

Dandy flaps: A pair of horns, also letterpress-printed, hints at the envelopes’ contents.