Mayor Cottontail Large French Provincial Rabbit Statue, Rust Cast Iron 45cm

The Mayor at full height, one hand raised, the other holding his pipe.

Mayor Cottontail Large is a standing rabbit cast in solid iron and finished in a natural rust patina, dressed for a public occasion: buttoned waistcoat under an open frock coat, cravat knotted at the throat, breeches and tall turned-down boots. One paw is lifted in greeting and the other holds a long-stemmed pipe. He weighs 9 kg, which is the difference between cast iron and the resin and magnesia pieces that copy this shape. The casting carries the nap of the fur, the fall of the coat, each waistcoat button and the bowl of the pipe.

At 45cm he stands to about knee height, which makes him a floor piece rather than a shelf one. He is built for outdoor life: 9 kg of iron keeps him upright through wind, and the rust patina is a finish rather than a fault, so weather deepens him instead of wearing him out.

Why we love it

• ◆The greeting, one paw raised, mid-sentence, as though you have interrupted him on his way somewhere
• ◆The weight, 9 kg of solid cast iron, so he holds a doorway or a path edge without fixing down
• ◆The rust patina, deep amber across the coat and the ears, russet down in the folds, and it only improves outdoors
• ◆The casting, fur, coat seams, waistcoat buttons, cravat and pipe all worked rather than smoothed away

How to style it

At knee height he reads as someone standing there, so give him a threshold rather than a corner.

• Stand him beside a front door or at the foot of the entrance steps
• Set him at a turn in a gravel path where he comes into view
• Put him among low planting so the coat reads against green
• Pair him with Mayor Cottontail Small at 27cm, one on the ground and one on a table
• Group him with the rest of our garden sculptures

Care & Keeping

Wipe with a soft dry cloth to lift dust out of the coat folds, the cravat and around the bowl of the pipe. The rust patina is a finished surface and needs no sealing. Place a felt pad or a saucer underneath on pale stone or painted timber, and keep harsh chemical cleaners and abrasive pads away from him.

Because Mayor Cottontail is hand-finished, slight variations in patina, texture, and grain are natural and add to the unique character of each piece. Colour may also vary slightly between screens, all photography is taken in natural light.