A Chalet Easter

Bunnies, baskets, bonnets and eggs. Well, there’s already articles on Chalet baskets as well as the paperweights, and I do have a picture of 50 Shades member Ella Hanks wearing a piece of Chalet as a hat. So, I guess that means bunnies!

Easter traditions and symbols have evolved over time and date back centuries. The most prominent secular symbol of the Christian holiday, the Easter bunny, was reportedly introduced to America in the 1700s with German immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania. They brought with them their tradition of an egg-laying hare called Osterhase” or “Oschter Haws.” Their children were told that if they behaved, this rabbit would leave them coloured eggs. The children then made nests in which this creature could lay its colored eggs and often left out carrots for the bunny in case he was hungry from all his hopping. Eventually, the custom spread across the United States and the fabled rabbit’s Easter morning deliveries expanded to include chocolate and other types of candy and gifts, while decorated baskets replaced nests.

Did Chalet make “Easter bunnies.” Yes. However, as the Chalet rabbit figurines are very scarce if you are not familiar with them, that is not surprising.

They made 2 different styles in the “crouching” pose To date, this pose has only been found in 2-tone colour combinations:

The “ears up from head” pose (left) and the “ears flat to head” pose (right). Shown in the collection of Iam Marc Linder.

Troy Danby also has rabbit figurines in both styles:

“Ears up” style at bottom and “ears to head” pair at top.

The yellow/blue 2-tone is a more unusual combination.

At present, we have found the “flat to the head” in 2-tone colour combinations only as well.

An unusual 2-tone found in another rabbit from Troy Danby’s colony. He described the colouring to me as”…almost layered from a red to dark orange depending on the angle you are on.” Etched “chalet Canada.”

And a much more familiar colour combination. The bright blue/bright green is the most commonly seen in the Chalet animal figurines.

These are quite hefty figurines – heavier and larger than you would expect from looking at photographs.

Once more we see typical variation – in this example, it is with regard to the colour placement.

Figurine at right from the collection of Kevin Kodak.

Chalet also made rabbits in an upright style:

Clear crystal:

This exceedingly rare piece is from the collection of Robert Hyndman.

This clear crystal rabbit figurine was carried by Riekes Crisa – Chalet’s largest American distributor. At first glance I thought I had found a Chalet clear crystal upright – alas, not so.

However, upon seeing this marked piece, I was able to answer a question I had had for a long time – was this figurine from Assortment # 82704 in the later undated Riekes catalogue a Chalet-made or from another maker? This is verified proof that it is from another so I would assume there is a high probability that the others in this assortment are as well.

And in this upright style, avventurina, avventurina and bullicante and bullicante figures have been found. To date, the breeds found have all been blues.

These 3 figurines all show typical colouring variation within a single tone. These blues from the hutches of Deborah Patterson (left), Troy Danby (centre) and Jo Highland (right).

In addition, there are 2 styles in the upright pose: one style has both ears up and the second has one ear drooping down.

“Ear down” *bullicante* and *avventurina* at left and “Ears Up” *avventurina* only at right.

Both avventurina and bullicante:

Avventurina only:

Photo credit for this and the preceding two – Bradley Atkinson.

Another great example of expected variation. Note the differences in both colour placement and amount of gold dust fill between these rabbits. Both are etched “Chalet Canada.”

Figurine at left belongs to Deborah Patterson and at right from Troy Danby’s collection.

Bullicante only:

They have been found with quite a limited variety of Chalet company brandings and with only one distributor’s label. However, I am certain more will be uncovered – in particular, I will not be at all surprised to see an upright avventurina and bullicante rabbit retaining the “Boutique Collection “ label.

Chalet company indicia at top left and right and bottom right. The rabbit, bottom left, retains a Chantili sticker. Chantili was one of Chalet’s distributors in the Montreal area.

A gorgeous grouping:

All the figurines in this colony, with the exception of the *avventurina* rabbit at left in back, from the collection of Troy Danby. Deborah Patterson owner of the visitor. Good assortment regarding style and poses.

While you are waiting to build up your collection of chalet rabbits, there are plenty of them from other glasshouses from which to choose. You know how rabbits multiply!

A few from other Canadian glasshouses of that era:

Altaglass, 1950-1988, Medicine Hat:

This is the most common pose. Produced in a multitude of colours, translucent or opaque glass and can be *bullicante* or not or have inclusions or not.

Altaglass also produced rabbit figurines in clear glass:

And in an upright pose as well:

EDAG/Venice Art Glass: 1963-1978, north Montreal:

A very rare animal figurine. Photo credit Sabrina Brunetti.

Lorraine Glass Industries, 1962-1974, downtown Montreal:

Like Chalet, Lorraine did a crouched pose 2-tone rabbit figurine:

These 2 figurines are in the same colour combination but there are tonal and placement variation. Also note that their design details are also not identical. The most obvious characteristic of hand-blown glass.