Looney Toons Characters*

by Frank Loevi

Figure 1
In the early 1990s, three Brazilian-made Disney character steins appeared at selected retail outlets in and around Disneyland and Disney World. The depictions of Mickey, Donald and Goofy (Figure 1) were not particularly imaginative and the construction was, in every sense, aimed at the frugal purchaser. They sold for about $20.00 apiece and, as usual, you got what you paid for.

The folks at Warner Brothers have since taken a different tack, with results that have proven to be far more appealing to stein collectors. Rather than dealing directly with a manufacturer, they granted a license to Cornell Importers, Inc., a Minnesota-based beer stein wholesaler, giving Cornell total responsibility for design and development, as well as for distribution. The resulting products, a series of seven limited edition (10,000) “Looney Tunes” character steins, produced by German manufacturer Albert Stahl & Co, are far more sophisticated and impressive than the now-discontinued Disney steins in both design and execution.

The first in the series, a Bugs Bunny stein (Figure 2), shows Bugs in a typically relaxed pose, munching on his ever-present carrot surrounded by several “props,” including a projector sitting on a pile of film canisters, a basket and a crate full of “Acme” carrots, and a large bag of “foist class” fan mail. The overall height of the stein (including Bug’s ears) is 9½ inches. In keeping with the theme, the thumblift is a small bunch of pewter carrots. As with most Stahl products, it would be difficult to improve on this beautifully hand-painted character.

If there’s a problem with Bugs, it’s that he comes very close to crossing the line between a stein and a two-piece figurine. The erratically shaped rim left me hard-pressed to find a place where I could actually put my mouth and the long, free-standing ears literally invite disaster each time the lid is lifted. On the other hand, it’s highly unlikely that many purchasers would actually try to drink out of a vessel that retails for almost $200, perhaps effectively rendering moot any questions regarding utility as a beer stein.

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The second stein in the Looney Tunes series (Figure 3) features the popular Tasmanian Devil, or “Taz” as he is known among cartoon afficionados. This 8" tall Taz is pictured in his well-known whirling dervish mode, producing a tornado-like dust cloud laced with a number of flying objects. His wide-open mouth, with bared teeth and a large hanging tongue complete the picture that only a mother and his millions of fans could love.

The third Looney Toons character stein, and my personal favorite, features the “rootin’, tootin’, six-gun shootin’, varmint-huntin’” Yosemite Sam leaping in the air with his pistols blazing, complete with bursts of ceramic fire and smoke. (Figure 4) To add the necessary girth to this 9½" tall stein, Sam is depicted in front of a large saguaro cactus, part of which serves as the handle. Also shown are a number of bags and trunks brimming with gold coins that I assume are the reason for his smiling face.

Looney Tunes stein number four (Figure 5) features the Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote re-enacting their classic painted railroad tunnel scene to create a 9¾" tall stein that is surely destined be a hit with both stein collectors and Looney Toons fans alike.

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The fifth in the series, a 10" tall stein, pays tribute to the popular cartoon duo of Tweety and Sylvester (Figure 6), depicting Sylvester wrapped around Tweety’s cage and holding a key to its “Acme” lock. He doesn’t notice that Tweety is already sitting on top of the cage, mallot in hand, waiting to ring Sylvester’s bell.

Series edition number six is a 10½" tall stein showcasing Elmer Fudd and Daffy Duck, capturing Elmer in a classic pose during hunting season (Figure 7). Elmer is seen peering through the bushes, blasting away at Daffy, while Daffy tries to convice him that it’s rabbit season and not duck season. As always, Bugs Bunny, who also appears on the stein, escapes unscathed.

A seventh and apparently final edition in the series is a 10" tall stein featuring Pepe Le Pew and his impossible love Penelope (Figure 8). Pepe is depicted making yet another vain attempt to win Penelope over with gifts and words of amour, seemingly undaunted by the fact that he is a skunk and she is a cat.

What a great gift one of these steins would make for the budding young (or not so young) stein collector/cartoon lover. If up-scale Warner Brothers collectibles are of interest to you, these steins are well worth a look. But don’t go to your local Warner Brothers store to find one. For whatever reason, the Looney Tunes stein series is not being sold by Warner Brothers but, rather, through the same network of collectible beer stein dealers that handle other products from Cornell Importers. Go figure.

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*This is a revised and updated version of an article that originally appeared in Prosit, the Journal of Stein Collectors International, in December 1997.