One thing I find astounding is the sheer number of hippo collectables out there. Not just the number of different imaginings of the animal, but the various materials from which they are shaped. With some private collections containing over 10,000 different hippos, it can become a bit mind-boggling. Many people have asked, "Who's making these things?" while some have asked, "Who's buying them?" There are the expected materials, such as porcelain and bronze, but things get funky pretty quickly. Crystal, concrete, canvas, glass, plastic, plushies, paper, brass, eggshells, pewter, clay, and gold. And other things that break the mold.

Hippos by Adelaide Prentice