Tampere’s Moomin Museum to sell exclusive 'Winter Night Glow' mug from 26 September

A snowy scene of Moomintroll meeting the Groke from Tove Jansson’s 1972 gouache now appears on a new 0.3-litre mug. Tampere’s Muumimuseo will sell the limited-edition piece exclusively on 26 September, with a wider, restricted release via Moomin Arabia and select retailers about a month later, Aamulehti reports.

Called Winter Night Glow, the mug adapts Jansson’s original painting, an image she created in 1972 for a French-language edition cover. The design shows campfires, little creatures building a winter fire, and Snorkmaiden fishing.

Moomin Arabia artist Parvati Pillai adjusted the colours to brighten the original for the ceramic version. Pillai said the Groke is one of her favourite characters and that this illustration brings the character’s story out beautifully.

The new design pairs with a 2017 Moominvalley mug released for the Muumimuseo opening. On the same day the mug goes on sale, the museum opens a Moomin Mug Mania exhibition tracing the evolution of Moomin mugs from everyday crockery to sought-after collectibles. The show gathers all of Moomin Arabia’s 0.3-litre mugs, rare 1950s pieces, Japanese editions and original Jansson drawings. The gouache used for the Winter Night Glow mug will be on display for one month starting 26 September.