Last writes? Student who turns dead animals into pencil cases speaks to RT (VIDEO)

A design student who sells stationery made out of dead mice, rats and rabbits says he’s had a “mixed response” to his products.

Speaking to RT, Jack Devaney, 22, a 3D design student at Plymouth University, makes pencil cases from the bodies of dead animals and sells them for around £35 ($43). Some have pencil sharpeners built into their rear ends.

Devaney has also made bookends made out of rats for £20 and a bookmark made from a rabbit for £35. The goods have generated plenty of interest, and are selling as far as Norway and the US.

Devaney, who started the project as part of his university coursework, says he decided to make taxidermy pencil cases to stand out from others in his class.

“I know hands down I’m going to be the best taxidermist in the class because nobody else does it. So it might add a bit of an advantage.

“I thought I’ve got to make it more into a product. So I sat with my girlfriend, and we came up with some ideas,” he said.

“I put a pencil sharpener in its back end, and that seems to be one of the things that people really appreciate about it - really appreciate or really dislike.”

Devaney, who is not sure whether the project will be viable long-term, says he’s had a wide range of responses from his university teachers.

“A couple of them see what I’m doing and say ‘Oh well, it’s nice you’ve found a way to express yourself,’ and ‘Your personality is really shining through.’ I don’t know if that’s a compliment or not.”