Designer: Heljä Liukko-Sundström
Manufacturer: Arabia Finland
Design: Shopping Bunnies / Ostospuput
Special edition: SIWA
Year: 2000
Country: Finland
Height: approx. 8 cm
Diameter: approx. 8–8.5 cm
A charming and collectible Arabia bunny mug designed by renowned Finnish ceramic artist Heljä Liukko-Sundström.
Known as Shopping Bunnies (Ostospuput), this special edition was created for the Finnish supermarket chain SIWA around 2000. Unlike many of Heljä’s regular Arabia bunny mugs, the SIWA edition was produced in limited quantities and distributed to SIWA employees, making it a particularly interesting piece for collectors.
The lively illustration depicts Heljä’s much-loved rabbits in the middle of everyday shopping: carrying baskets, bags and groceries against a wonderfully nostalgic yellow and deep blue background.
Heljä Liukko-Sundström is especially celebrated for her expressive rabbit characters, through which she depicted everyday Finnish life with warmth, humour and gentle storytelling. Her Arabia bunny mugs have since become sought-after collectibles, with numerous different scenes and special editions produced over the years.
The base carries both the SIWA logo and the classic ARABIA FINLAND backstamp.
A delightful piece of Finnish design history combining Arabia ceramics, Heljä’s distinctive storytelling and a nostalgic piece of Finnish retail culture.
Collectability:
The SIWA Shopping Bunnies mug is one of the special commissioned editions within Heljä Liukko-Sundström’s Arabia bunny mug series. Its connection with the former Finnish SIWA supermarket chain and its limited distribution make it particularly appealing to collectors of Heljä, Arabia and Finnish design.
