Central & Gus
Harvey Curranhall Plains Bison Note Card
Harvey Curranhall Plains Bison Note Card
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Harvey Curranhall Bison is a bit of a gypsy. Roaming the countryside with his buddies, they travel not to arrive anywhere, it is simply for the journey. Often, Harvey’s absolute best friend in the whole wide world, Stella AlmaGemela, joins the herd. Because Stella is a tiny little Javelina, you can always spot Harvey in the mix. Across the North Rim Plateaus thunder the hooves of hundreds of bison; a tiny turquoise-and-sunshine hang glider drafts and purls, perfectly in sync with her special one. The pair often pause for a picnic, dipping down from the Rim to a breathtaking little spot where the towering, carnelian Canyon meets the babbling Bright Angel Creek. Here at the water’s edge, between bites of their favourite treats, they talk and giggle and plan and daydream. These lunches are everything. So, when a sliver lodged itself deep in Harvey’s hoof, laying him up for what seemed an eternity, Stella AlmaGemela felt absolutely lost - ironic, as it was the one time the quiescent herd’s coordinates could actualy be pinned on a map.
Harvey slept for days. And when he wasn’t sleeping, he wished he was: the intense throbbing rippled relentlessly through every cell. Stella, looking for some way to comfort Harvey - and for a bit of preoccupation from her worry - reached out to her friend Charlotte Livingston Eastern Chipmunk, who promply sent the pattern for a magnificent quilt. Each square was special: from one of their stories; a culture they had explored; an area they had visited; a place they wanted to see. As Harvey slept, Stella stiched. His entire body still ached but, cozy in bed, he dreamt of Stella and of all the journeys the quilt represented. Then finally, release. His body worked the sliver out, taking the pain with it. Out of bed, up and running, and back to his Stella, Harvey was elated. She had missed him so much that, for now, the glider is in storage. She looks like a little pink stowaway, tucked into the quilt which, in turn, is tucked into the soft thick shag hair across his shoulders. Harvey feels her comforting presence, but not her weight. Life can be so fragile: the tiniest thing can bring one down in a moment. Fortunately, the tiniest thing can also lift one up.
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Note Card, A6 (4.5” x 6.25”) with envelope in protective cello.
On the reverse of each card is a whimsical tale of the animal featured. Entirely collectible, the stories intertwine, creating a much-loved community of characters.
We print on a luxurious 318 gsm, 100% cotton paper. Soft and durable, this paper showcases crisp detail and vibrant colour. We fell in love with our beautiful goldenrod shade, 90# envelope. According to the ‘World’s Favourite Colour’ study, people associate the feeling of joy with this colour. Also, this is the very shade that enrobes our trusty #2. As all of our images are hand drawn in pencil, we thought it appropriate to give a nod of appreciation.
We donate a portion of gross sales to animal welfare.
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These cards are so charming! Our customers can't get enough of them. We love them!
Frequently Asked Questions
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They are — and that's one of the things that makes Central & Gus so unique. Every character lives in the same universe. They know each other, reference each other, cross paths at the switchboard, in the woods, at the patisserie, on the road. Collecting them is a little like reading a novel one chapter at a time — except each chapter fits on your wall or popped in the post for a stamp to someone you love.
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We spent a long time on this. Every Central & Gus illustration is hand-drawn in pencil — and so we are eternally inspired by the classic #2, enrobed in that particular shade of yellow. For that, we call it Ticonderoga Harvest. Studies on colour and emotion find that people associate this shade with joy — which felt exactly right. It also nods, quietly, to our farm roots, everything that grows out of the land, and also to a less tangible but just as important creative harvest. The envelope is not an afterthought. It is part of the story.
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They are extraordinary gifts — and we say that not as a boast but as something we hear constantly from our retail partners and customers. A Central & Gus card is not a card you send and forget. It is a card the recipient reads, re-reads, frames, or keeps in a drawer to return to. The story on the back transforms it from a greeting into a small, meaningful object. We have heard from one customer who had special date-day trips with his young daughter, each time choosing one special card for her coveted collection. The goldenrod envelope alone tends to stop people in their tracks. Another, a fiance purchased the entire set for his partner, a reminder of a day they spotted them in a shop and giggled while reading the stories aloud. These are not cards. They are moments, saved.
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Wholeheartedly yes — and the characters seem to know instinctively which age they are speaking to. Children are drawn to the illustrations, the names, the animals. Adults read the stories and find themselves unexpectedly moved. We regularly hear from customers who frame them in nurseries and living rooms alike, who give them to grandparents and grandchildren in the same gesture. The world of Central & Gus does not have an age. It has a sensibility — and that sensibility tends to recognise itself across generations.
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Yes — and we love that you asked. We offer curated collections and themed bundles. Our Open Water & Coastal set, our Woodland & Hedgerow set, our Wetland & Waterway, or our Start Your Collection bundle are all wonderful entry points. And for those that just wantall of themat once, The Whole Gang brings every character home together at a saving. Bundles make particularly wonderful gifts — there is something about receiving a community of characters at once that feels genuinely special.
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We do — and this is at the heart of everything we do. A portion of every gross sale goes directly to animal welfare. The characters you collect are not just whimsical illustrations — they are advocates. Every purchase is a small act of care for the natural world and the creatures in it. We are deeply grateful for every order that makes this possible.