In the Chinese calendar, 2020 is the year of the rat.

I thought you might enjoy these rats, which were collected by the late University of Hawaii Professor Carey D. Miller, a much-published nutrition researcher who arrived at the University of Hawaii in 1922 and served until her then-mandatory retirement at age 65. Miller had been my mother’s mentor at the university, and remained a close lifelong friend.

Miller had a long history with her laboratory rats, which were a valuable and necessary part of her research. She established a rat colony immediately on her arrive at UH, and later provided rats to former students as they left for jobs at other universities so that they could begin their own rat labs.

She also collected rat figures. We have several of them, which were among the things my mother found in Miller’s Manoa house after her death.

I do love this little brass miniature. It’s body is just 1-1/4 inches, and body with tail measures just about two inches across at the largest point.

But these are the most unusual are this pair of rats in Hawaiian costumes are about 4 inches tall. They were packed in a small box, away from light, and the colors and materials are amazingly well preserved. I can’t begin to guess when or by whom they were made.