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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obsess.com
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Summer 2013
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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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o B E sM Y sH U N N Yb e B oU N Nb Y s
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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