Joseph the Pirate Bunny Will Steal Your Heart

It's official. I have now added Mahar Drygoods to my "do not browse here unless you absolutely want to spend money" list. Founder, Robert Mahar, whose day job is as an appraiser of modern art in LA, has impeccable taste when it comes to selecting utterly unique "vintage and artisanal" gifts for you, your child, and also your dog. He even goes so far as to commission limited run pieces from his favorite artisans, making his collection truly rare.

I've often overheard many bemoan the impersonal nature of shopping online. True if you're shopping the big congloms. But the internet can also open up the wee world of artisanal to those who may be stuck in shopping Timbuktus. Mahar Drygoods is an excellent example of an online shop that makes you feel as if you've just stumbled across a rare treasure trove in some secluded spot. Though you can't actually touch his inventory, Mahar does his best very to make you "experience" his selections with multiple photos and vivid, chatty descriptions.

Hand-made by Austrian artist and mother of two, Sonja Otti, Captain Joseph, The Pirate Bunny, adopts an air of cozy familiarity that all of Mahar's goods do. Both evocative of the past and at the same time singularly modern, Captain Joe looks like he would have been at home in my mother's crib, and would still be so in those of my grandkids. At 17" Captain Joseph is rather large, his orange, fleecy form is just waiting for a snuggle over a bedtime story. His face is hand-embroidered, and his pirate clothes can be removed on days when he just feels like taking a break from the high seas. Joseph has a few friends: a ballerina mouse and an adorable hedgehog, that are also available at Mahar Drygoods.