Obsess Test 01

BE MY HUNNY BUNNY

LARGEST COLLECTIONS

COLLECTIONS

Issue No. 01 Summer 2013 obsess.com

Fall 2013

02

BE MY HUNNY BUNNY

LARGEST COLLECTIONS

C O L L E CT I O N S

Issue No. 01 Summer 2013 obsess.com

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s L A Rs G EeS T s CO s L LsE C To I O NbS

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COLLECTIONS

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Fall 2013 s

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tion its Keeps plying

A Collect of Rabbi on Multip

YEARS AGO, A COUPLE EXCHANGED BUNNY KNICKKNACKS. NOW THEY’VE GOT THOUSANDS.

Candace Frazee’s toilet seat has a rabbit on it. She

pastimes. About 35% of Americans collect, according to

brushes with a bunny toothbrush and washes with a

one study.

rabbit-shaped bar of soap. Her phone? Bugs Bunny.

In some cases, those collections turn into museums. In

When one of her pet rabbits, Bonnie Bunnie, died last

Orange, for instance, there’s a Moose Museum, which,

year, Frazee had her stuffed and placed in a glass case

among other things, has gold-dipped moose dung.

in the dining room. She burns carrot cake-scented

“In an age of conformity, collecting allows you a form of

candles and allows her five rabbits to run free in the

individual expression,” said Harry Rinker, author of the

kitchen and bedroom.

Official Guide to Flea Market Prices. Rinker’s 250 collec-

Frazee and her husband, Steve Lubanski, live in a

tions range from the serious, like English Staffordshire

1,530-square-foot Pasadena house that has been taken

china with American historical views, to the absurd, like

over by their collection of long-eared knickknacks,

toilet paper.

which includes an Elvis Parsley pitcher and a 30-pound

In Frazee’s case, she sees the bunny collection as an

chocolate you-know-what.

expression of love between herself and her husband.

By 1999, the Chinese Year of the Rabbit, they had ac-

She and Lubanski met 11 years ago in a singles group at

cumulated 8,437 rabbit-related clocks, neckties and fig-

a church and began dating. For Valentine’s Day, Lubanski

ures -- or enough to win the Guinness world record for

gave a white plush rabbit to Frazee, who called him

owning the most bunny items in the world. The couple

“Honey Bunny.” At Easter, she gave him a white porcelain

believe that their collection has since doubled.

rabbit. Then they began exchanging bunny gifts on all

Five years ago, they began opening their home, a 1926

holidays. Soon, it was bunny gifts every day.

Spanish-style house known as the Bunny Museum, to

Evolving Gifts

the public on holidays. They figured that Easter would be

“It wasn’t meant to be a collection,” said Lubanski, 46.

a natural. But Christmas proved to be the most popular.

“We were just giving each other things. It evolved.”

Last Christmas, several hundred visitors appeared. This

After dating almost two years, they married. At the wed-

year, they expect even more.

ding reception, Lubanski surprised his wife and dressed

“We are filling a need we didn’t even know existed,”

in a white bunny costume. When the party kicked into

said Frazee, 47. “People own a Renoir or a Matisse, and

gear, guests formed a conga line and danced to Ray

they’re the only ones who see it -- that’s selfish. People

Anthony’s “Bunny Hop.”

should share what they have.”

Their wedding cake? Carrot.

Collecting has become one of the nation’s popular

At this time of year, she has been known to wear a red

01

obsess

WORDS: Nora Zamichow IMAGE: Kristin Shaw

tion its Keeps plying

A Collecti of Rabbit on Multip

Fall 2013

02

01

obsess

Fall 2013

02

Candace Frazee’s toilet seat has a rabbit on it. She

“We are filling a need we didn’t even know existed,”

brushes with a bunny toothbrush and washes with a

said Frazee, 47. “People own a Renoir or a Matisse, and

rabbit-shaped bar of soap. Her phone? Bugs Bunny.

they’re the only ones who see it -- that’s selfish. People

When one of her pet rabbits, Bonnie Bunnie, died last

should share what they have.”

year, Frazee had her stuffed and placed in a glass case

Collecting has become one of the nation’s popular

in the dining room. She burns carrot cake-scented

pastimes. About 35% of Americans collect, according to

candles and allows her five rabbits to run free in the

one study.

kitchen and bedroom.

In some cases, those collections turn into museums. In

Frazee and her husband, Steve Lubanski, live in a

Orange, for instance, there’s a Moose Museum, which,

1,530-square-foot Pasadena house that has been taken

among other things, has gold-dipped moose dung.

over by their collection of long-eared knickknacks,

“In an age of conformity, collecting allows you a form of

which includes an Elvis Parsley pitcher and a 30-pound

individual expression,” said Harry Rinker, author of the

chocolate you-know-what.

Official Guide to Flea Market Prices. Rinker’s 250 collec-

“OF COURSE, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO THINK IT’S OBSESSIVE OR COMPULSIVE, BECAUSE NO ONE ELSE DOES THIS”

tions range from the serious, like English Staffordshire china with American historical views, to the absurd, like toilet paper.

In Frazee’s case, she sees the bunny collection as an expression of love between herself and her husband.

By 1999, the Chinese Year of the Rabbit, they had ac-

She and Lubanski met 11 years ago in a singles group at

cumulated 8,437 rabbit-related clocks, neckties and fig-

a church and began dating. For Valentine’s Day, Lubanski

ures -- or enough to win the Guinness world record for

gave a white plush rabbit to Frazee, who called him

owning the most bunny items in the world. The couple

“Honey Bunny.” At Easter, she gave him a white porcelain

believe that their collection has since doubled.

rabbit. Then they began exchanging bunny gifts on all

Five years ago, they began opening their home, a 1926

holidays. Soon, it was bunny gifts every day.

Spanish-style house known as the Bunny Museum, to

Evolving Gifts

the public on holidays. They figured that Easter would be

“It wasn’t meant to be a collection,” said Lubanski, 46.

a natural. But Christmas proved to be the most popular.

“We were just giving each other things. It evolved.”

Last Christmas, several hundred visitors appeared. This

After dating almost two years, they married. At the wed-

year, they expect even more.

ding reception, Lubanski surprised his wife and dressed

01

obsess

Fall 2013

02

01

obsess

in a white bunny costume. When the party kicked into

holds food that’s either bunny-shaped, like the pasta

gear, guests formed a conga line and danced to Ray

and cookies, or bears a bunny label, like the molasses

Anthony’s “Bunny Hop.”

and cocoa. There’s a rabbit waffle-maker, cake pans and

Their wedding cake? Carrot.

chopsticks.

At this time of year, she has been known to wear a red

The motif of their silverware? Strictly hare. They have,

shirt and red pants cinched by a black belt. Frazee, who

however, had little luck finding adult-sized forks.

grew up in Toronto, has long platinum blond hair. Bunny

Today, the house is wall-to-wall bunny. What was once a

earrings dangle from her ears, and a bunny pin

living room now holds 23 floor-to-ceiling display cases, wedged together, blocking windows.

“SHE’S A BUNNY FREAK”

The cases contain different categories of bunnies, including angel bunnies, music box bunnies, bunnies on

sits below her left shoulder. Her lipstick is red. Her two

bikes, bride and groom bunnies. One shelf is devoted

front teeth have a small gap reminiscent of the animal

to bunny pretenders -- animals or characters, such as

she adores.

SpongeBob SquarePants, trying to disguise themselves

Asked by a visitor whether she has ever eaten rabbit,

as bunnies.

Frazee winces. She is vegetarian. Often when she

The couple’s 40-page tiny-type inventory hops from

cooks, she’ll intentionally drop vegetable slices on the

acrobats (seven ceramic, one wood) to yo-yos (one 1951

kitchen floor, where three rabbits -- Chummie Bunnie,

Bunny Martin World Champion, three rabbit-shaped and

Jackie Rabbit and Buddy Bunny -- eagerly await the

one plastic one with a hare atop).

falling tidbits.

Plush rabbits jam the TV room, which the couple call the

In the kitchen, as elsewhere in the house, rabbits rule.

warren. The layers of plush are so thick that they muffle

Their powerful hindquarters have shredded the lino-

sound in the room.

leum. (Frazee has given up her quest for bunny-themed

“Of course, a lot of people are going to think it’s obses-

linoleum.)

sive or compulsive, because no one else does this,” said

Magnets cover the refrigerator, stopping 1 1/2 feet

Lubanski, who runs a Pasadena bike shop. “But what we

above the ground. It turns out, Frazee says, that bunnies

do is give joy to people.”

chew magnets.

The bedroom and bathroom are not open to visitors.

Stacks of platters, dishes and pitchers clutter the coun-

But Frazee insists that those rooms are as leporine

ters and unused stove burners. The kitchen display case

as everywhere else. In her most recent newsletter,

Fall 2013

02