Beaver Pencil Sharpener by Rodrigo Torres for Alessi

Italian design label Alessi has teamed up with Milan-based artist Rodrigo Torres for this miniature chrome-plated beaver. Created for Maison & Object Paris 2013, the tiny paperweight doubles as a pencil sharpener for a humorous take on the wood-chewing rodent. Combining Torres’ clean design with Alessi’s notoriously quirky-yet-functional aesthetic, the piece was on display at the trade show from January 18 through January 22.