16.04.2012

This spring Moomin mugs introduce new characters

During the spring, the series of Arabia Moomin mugs will be complemented with two Moomin mugs. New secondary characters not seen before on Moomin mugs will be presented on each mug. The colouring of the mugs is abundant and refreshing – different shades of turquoise and a sunny yellow turn our thoughts towards the summer.

When designing Arabia Moomin items, Tove Slotte’s objective is always to start off with Tove Jansson’s original drawings, sometimes also those of Lars Jansson. She does not use animation characters or characters from books or magazines created by artists other than Jansson.

- When I start designing a new Moomin decoration, I still feel like a little girl in a candy shop. I have permission to read again those magnificent books and magazines and draw themes from them for mugs, plates and packages. There is a whole world of images to choose from. What will I choose this time? These thoughts go through my mind, says Tove about her source of inspiration.

For the spring 2012 mugs, Tove has selected new secondary characters: Mymble’s mother presents herself with her large entourage of children on the spring mug, and the circus prima donna’s horse has been given the lead role on the Moomin summer mug, replacing the prima donna herself. Secondary characters often challenge the Moomins to adapt to new situations and sometimes they encourage the Moomins into reckless adventures.

Mymble’s mother and mock Midsummer

Enjoying the limelight, we now have Mymble’s and Little My’s mother – simply called Mymble’s mother – with her children. Tove Slotte has designed the decoration on the Mymble’s Mother mug on the basis of Tove Jansson’s Moomin Builds a House story. Cartoons of the Moomin Builds a House story first appeared in 1955 and 1956 in a British evening newspaper.

In the artwork for the mug, Mymble’s mother is paying a visit to the Moomin house with her 17 children and announces that she is staying until Midsummer festivities. The wild bunch of children, including Little My, has Moominmamma – and everyone else in the house – wishing that Midsummer was already here. But this can be arranged – like everything else in Moominmamma’s life, as well. A Midsummer party preparations begin. Moominpappa builds a Midsummer bonfire and sets it ablaze. It does not take long before the other residents of Moominvalley call the fire department – but to no avail.

Scolded by the fire department, the others run from the scene, but Little My stays, hiding in a soup bowl in Moominmamma’s kitchen. From then on, Little My stays in the Moomin house. The story has a happy ending in that Moomintroll, by accident – guided by Little My’s insistence – builds a house for Mymble’s mother and her children. Moominpappa is happy to continue his peaceful life on the porch of his house after all the fuss. Or will Little My still come up with a prank? Surely.

Popular horse theme for the summer mug

The Prima Donna’s Horse mug and bowl are the 2012 summer season Moomin products, with a renewed appearance. Tove Slotte wanted the artwork to be even more summery and colourful. The flowers bordering the decoration and the horse in the centre were found in two different Moomin cartoons among Tove Jansson’s oldest work. The idea was to introduce a not-so-well known character from the Moomin stories alongside a familiar character. Moomintroll, who is infatuated with the circus prima donna, and the prima donna’s horse take their rightful place in the Prima Donna’s Horse mug and bowl design.

The artwork is based on a story where Moomintroll saves the circus prima donna and her horse from a flood. Moomintroll is infatuated with this “temptress”, as Snorkmaiden calls her. The strongman and acrobat of the circus, Emeraldo, on the other hand, is the prima donna’s friend and partner. The characters become increasingly jealous as the story unfolds, but in an unusual way – we are in Moominvalley, after all. Emeraldo becomes tired of entertaining the prima donna and Moomintroll feels rejected by the proud Snorkmaiden. These two gentlemen withdraw to the mountains where they establish a camp, which women are forbidden to enter. The women, reinforced by Mymble, establish their own camp, and prima donna’s horse, dressed in flowers, acts as a messenger between the camps. Finally, Moomintroll and Snorkmaiden make peace in theatrical fashion, and the prima donna likewise comes to her senses and realises that she could also occasionally entertain Emeraldo, and not always the other way around.

The mug and the bowl make excellent gifts or collectables for children and adults who love horses. A horse theme has also been requested by Moomin mug collectors. The impressive colour palette provides options for combining the mug and the bowl in a multitude of cheerful and colourful table settings during the summer.

Product information and recommended retail prices:
Mug Mymble’s Mother, 0.3 l EUR 17,60
Bowl Mymble’s Mother, 15 cm EUR 22,90
Shipments starting from 1 March 2012.

Mug Prima Donna’s Horse 0.3 l EUR 20,30
Bowl Prima Donna’s Horse 15 cm EUR 23,50
Shipments starting from 16 April 2012.

For more information and picture requests:
Nina Colliander PR Officer, Arabia Tel. +358 204 39 5181 nina.colliander@fiskars.com

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