MUGI – My Unique Gift Idea

The modern obsession with building fuel efficient cars notwithstanding, I thought I’d take some time to pedal an entirely different sort of vehicle. That is, the ceramic one. The advantages of a ceramic car? For one, it doesn’t need any gasoline, it’s a lot smaller, and it doesn’t require any maintenance. You can’t say no to that. And this one even comes with its own set of eyes, a nose, and a mouth!

But really, this piece is adorable to the nth degree, handmade and painted by the artist Nathan Halpern. He is a resident of Mevaseret Zion in Israel, located just outside Jerusalem.

He is currently one of Israel’s top illustrators for childrens’ books, which makes sense with the style of this ceramic car. If you like this piece and happen to be in Israel, you can see more of his work at the Neve Tzedek galleries in Tel Aviv, and the Eretz Yisrael museum. He also teaches ceramics once a week in his studio if you want to go into the toy car business. I hear it’s pretty lucrative.

This particular piece can be found in the ceramic gifts section at MostOriginal.com, a site that actually specializes in handmade jewelry and unique gifts and artwork.

For me, it’s something of a work day pick-me-up, when I’m inundated in paperwork and forms, random documents strewn all over my desk and about to have another one of those nervous breakdowns, I’d take a look at my toy ceramic car, smiling at me with that sly smile of his, reminding me that not everything need be wept over. Plus, it just fits my taste. But if you’re into charm jewelry, I’d check over there for some interesting work.

For some more Halpern Cars, check out the Extra Long Car, and also the Medium Car.