Collecting Cats and Canines... Mugging It Up

This is one of my very favorite mugs.  I have had it so long that I can't even remember how long I've had it.  Probably decades.  It features the artwork of cartoonist B. Kliban and his interpretation of what a Chefcat might cook up for dinner.  My first apartments  were adorned with Kliban sheets and pillowcases and dish towels 30-some years ago, and that may have been when I acquired this mug.  It has held up very nicely.

According to the official Kliban website http://www.eatmousies.com, Workman Publishing published Kliban's book  "Cat" in 1975 with an initial run of 15,000 books. "A chord was struck that went beyond mere cat lovers. As the New York Times called it, ‘Klibanophilia’ had taken over, making Cat and Kliban's subsequent humor books bestsellers over many reprints, while Cat merchandise appeared everywhere, on everything. Cat was hailed by the publishing world: It began a new genre of humor, as well as a very new way of presenting cartoons." 

Klibanophilia continues today as collectors buy and sell vintage Kliban merchandise on places like Ebay and Etsy.  I'm hanging onto this mug, however,  because it still cracks me up every time I look at it.

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Here's a cat mug from the same era that I am parting with, now available in my Etsy Curio Cabinet shop.  It was created by the San Francisco design team of Taylor and Ng in 1978 and features an enchanted nighttime scene of jungle cats.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/96815691/vintage-taylor-and-ng-jungle-cats-lionAccording to Wikipedia: "Taylor & Ng was originally a very popular department store of handcrafts that operated in San Francisco in the 1970s and 1980s. The company was founded in 1965 by artists Spaulding Taylor and Win Ng. The department store was known for the signature designs by the sculptor, ceramicist and designer Win Ng. Many of these products are still prized by collectors on sites like eBay."  

For more info , or to purchase my jungle cats mug, click here.

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And if a newer mug is your cup of tea, might I suggest this Susan Faye original design, now available online at Cafepress?

 http://www.cafepress.com/susanfaye/8580622

This one features my artwork of the tabby kittens Topsy and Turvy on both sides, plus the words "blessed are the garden cats."  There are two sizes of mugs available, plus totes, aprons, t-shirts and more.  Click here for more information or to purchase.  

Now go and make a hot beverage in your favorite mug and RELAX with your favorite feline.  You'll thank me for it later. 


Do you have any fun cat or canine collectibles to share?  Post a picture or comment on my facebook page!