Vintage Cast Iron Rabbit Doorstop with Blue Bow in Brown and Green

This rabbit has dressed up for the occasion, though nobody has told us what the occasion is. Cast in solid iron and painted by hand, he sits up on his haunches on a mossy green mound, ears pricked, front paws tucked neatly in, wearing a bright blue bow tied at his neck. His coat is painted in warm chestnut brown with fine brushed detail picking out the fur, and he rests on a deep stepped plinth in dark slate tones.

Rabbits and hares have been favourite subjects for cast iron doorstops since Victorian times, and a bow tied rabbit has an irresistible storybook quality, bringing to mind Peter Rabbit in his little blue jacket and the illustrated nursery tales of the early twentieth century. The casting is lovely here, particularly around the face, where the eyes, nose and whiskered muzzle are all crisply defined.

He measures 22 x 20 x 7 cm, a generous size for holding open a proper door, with the solid weight cast iron is known for. The paint has worn softly in places, with patches of the iron showing through along the plinth edges and back, giving him the gently aged look of a piece that has kept a door open for many years.

Stand him at a nursery door beside a basket of soft toys, let him sit on a kitchen hearth among pots of spring bulbs, or place him at the foot of the stairs as a cheerful welcome. He would make a lovely gift for a new baby, an Easter treat for a collector, or a present for anyone who loves rabbits, and his warm browns and blue sit beautifully with cream, sage and cornflower tones.

He has the air of someone who has been invited to tea and is slightly worried he’s early.