I've been thinking about this subject a lot lately, and I would love to hear your take.
What is it about miniatures that drew you in the first place? And what keeps you coming back for more?
In my case, I would say a number of things influenced me and converged into this particular passion. One, I like small things and always have. There's just something about tiny objects. Two, I like to collect things. There is just something about multiples that is really appealing to me. I've said before that I collect Limoges boxes and Santons -- both small --(and Snow Village Christmas houses and other decorations, and decorations for every other holiday there is but that is another story entirely and one I will skip here). So that's the collector part.
When I was a very little girl, we had a neighbor, Mrs. Palmer, who had an amazing dollhouse in her living room. She had no children, and the dollhouse was clearly her own. It was huge and had lights and it was a treat to be allowed to look at it. It was very detailed (did it have running water? I think so, but I don't know if that's just a figment of my imagination). It had many, many rooms full of interesting things to hold my attention. Notice I didn't say I could "play" with it. I don't honestly remember being able to touch anything--but I was fascinated by it and went back to her house over and over to visit it. I wish I had photographs of that house.
Another influential dollhouse is the one made by Faith Bradford, now housed at the National Museum of American History.
When I was a girl the house was in the basement of the museum, sort of tucked away there. Apparently the curators didn't really know what to do with it. What I remember very distinctly is that there was a platform that you could stand on to see into the house. I don't remember it being covered with glass or plexy, either, although I don't think anyone dared touch anything!
This is what it looked like then.
The house was renovated recently and has a fancy new display: http://blog.americanhistory.si.edu/osaycanyousee/2010/10/the-miniature-world-of-faith-bradford.html
There's also a new book about it. http://www.papress.com/html/book.details.page.tpl?isbn=9781568989747 . When I bought the book, I was startled to see a photo of a rapt little girl in what looks to be the early 1960s looking at the house -- she reminded me so much of myself at that age.
Like the Thorne Rooms at the Art Institute, this dollhouse is one of the most popular exhibits at the Smithsonian.
Quick aside, have you seen the newest Whitledge-Burgess workshop? It's called " The Shop at Kensington Plaza." OMG--do I want to make it into a china shop! And put it right next to my silver shop.
You can see it here:
http://whitledgeburgess.com/studio/index.php?main_page=document_general_info&cPath=5_2&products_id=74
Lastly, I love doing the research that makes each miniature project unique. I also love the thrill of the hunt when I am looking for that perfect item to go in a particular spot. So for me, miniatures are not just about dollhouses or roomboxes, they are about style, history, architecture, interior design, art, craftsmanship, imagination-- and everything else that makes them magical!
So send me your stories....in the comments or by email info@smalltreasuresminiatures.com. Who knows, maybe I will write a book. Or at least a magazine article.
I'd love to hear from you!
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I had a childhood dollhouse - a version of the Lundby type called the Lisa. After growing up, I left minis way behind. In August 2009, I renovated my childhood dollhouse to give to my young cousin. That's when the bug bit me again, and the rest is history! :D
ReplyDeleteYou can see the renovation here: http://www.otterine.com/blog/blog1.php/flip-that-dollhouse
I've learned so much since then.
Like you I love things that are smaller versions of life size things like mini rose bushes, bonsai trees, dogs, and of course dollhouses. If it is a mini version it captivates me, when I was little I had several barbie houses and over 250 barbies. As far as the dollhouses go it gives me a chance to own and work on all types of small object (things I could never have in RL)It pulls me into a different world. The hunt for the right item to go here and there and its such a great creative outlet I really could go on and on but Ill stop now lol
ReplyDeleteMine started with my grandmothers Christmas village under the tree.
ReplyDeleteI have always loved mini things though, like most of us.
I also think that it is like peering into any world, memory or fantasy your mind can create..and keeping a world of your own on bookshelf is pretty awesome ;)
I saw Helena Rubinstein's collection of antique dollhouses which she donated many years ago to the art museum of Tel-Aviv and was hooked.
ReplyDeleteI always loved miniatures and have a large collection of miniature shoes.
I had a tin dollhouse when I was 8. I was never satisfied with the molded plastic furniture, and was constantly pasting pieces of fabric over them, making "paintings", and using bits and baubles as decorations. I picked up the hobby again in the 70s as a teenager. Then life took over...college, husband, children and a teaching career. Came back to the hobby as I closed in on 50 yrs. Finally making time for the two things I love the most...miniatures and fiction writing! Having a ball!
ReplyDeleteIt's so interesting to here how people got interested in miniatures. There was a finished dollhouse on display at the mall where my mother shopped when I was a toddler. When I was three, I asked for a dollhouse, and my handy uncle spent the next year making it for me. As I grew up, I kept playing with it, and my mother (who had had a dollhouse through her teens) got hooked on miniatures again. It gradually turned into a hobby that we enjoyed together.
ReplyDeleteI love the way miniatures so often grow beyond merely furnishing a dollhouse. I've researched the history of countless items (everything from soup cans to corsets!) tried so many new materials, and talked with so many different people, all because of this hobby. On top of all that, I love the physical and mental challenge of making ever smaller and more accurate miniatures.
I too love small things and I had a doll house when I was a child, made for me by a favourite uncle, but when I grew up we moved to a much smaller home and the doll house had to go - to a children's home. I wished so often that I could have found a way to keep it, especially when my own daughter was born. When I retired and found myself with time on my hands I rediscovered my love of miniature homes at a display by a miniaturist group at a local craft show. I joined up on the spot and find this hobby taps into so many of my fascinations - including history, sewing, architecture, home decorating and model making. This is just the best hobby!
ReplyDeleteImpresionante tu blog!! te felicito por ello, tienes muchos trabajos bonitos. Ya tienes una seguidora más, seguiré tu blog. Un abrazo, Arantza
ReplyDeletehttp://miniaturasarantza.blogspot.com
I love interior design, architecture and decorating. When I was given an opportunity to help a friend decorate 4 dollhouses for an event, I said yes instantly even though we had to do it in 48 hours.
ReplyDeleteI have never crafted or made anything with my hands before that. That was about 4 years ago and since then I was hooked. The power the comes with creating is heady. And the fact that it covers many aspects of my interests: architecture, history, design, culture is a bonus.
You know, I wasn't even into miniatures. :)
My cousins, Roxanne & Cassandra, had a dollhouse at which I was forever sneaking furtive peeks. (Boys weren't 'supposed' to be interested in such things; blocks, Legos and Lincoln Logs were deemed more acceptable and fueled my enthusiasm for building model houses. When I got a little older, I made spooky, Gothic mansions out of cardboard and construction paper, taking care to fill them with ghosts and goblins (in a feeble attempt to butch them up a bit)! As a teenager, I built dollhouses from scraps of plywood culled from my father's workshop. These, I explained, were "for my little sister" ( but I wasn't fooling anybody --they were really for ME)! It wasn't until just a few years ago, on a trip to your hometown, when a friend showed me the incredible Thorne Rooms, that I decided to take up the hobby again ...This time around, I don't have to disguise my house with Frankenstein monsters and Count Draculas. (Though, that might be COOL, don't you think)?
ReplyDeleteit was my Brothers fault, He liked trains ..he would always make little towns for them with Hotels and Apartment Buildings..it was fun watching him work he was able to make things out of nothing. at that time my father was in prison and things were tight so having my own dollhouse was out of the question. I think I got my first dollhouse back in the 80's and I bought everything for it..I told everyone it was for my nieces but it was really for me..I missed it when I gave it away and now I'm back..I plan to build my own dollhoue this time around
ReplyDeleteI am fascinated by the act of creation itself. I have only started to learn about miniature (and making it), but I feel that is the kind of art that I was looking for, that really brings me pleasure. The idea to make a roombox or dollhouse has never crossed my mind until I accidentally found a tutorial on making a simple roombox. so I've tried and it got me :)
ReplyDeleteAs far as I am concerned I have the feeling that I have always had miniatures. My grandmother had a dollhouse she had when young and she had an American metal one with items drawn on the walls with plastic furniture for her granddaughters. As a little girl I had a cardboard dollhouse, also a school and hospital ( both the size of a room). I have always been interested in miniatures. Why? I don't know, it has always been part of my life.
ReplyDeleteGeneviève
What interesting stories! It almost feels as if we were all influenced by someone we cared about...but the passion for minis took over once we got started.
ReplyDeleteGuys, I remember when my sons were small they used to play war endlessly with their GI Joes. One day they asked for furniture for their base, so off we went to the local Five and Dime (this was in the 1980s, when we had two local stores--neither of which are left and both of which are sorely missed!) to see what we could find. They had that rubbery plastic furniture by room that came in blister packs, so we bought tons of it. The boys spend hours setting up the base, putting Joes in the beds and in the kitchen cooking, etc. and when it was all in place, they destroyed it in minutes. Then they started all over.
I don't think minis are gender-specific--at least not any more. We all just love to build and play with little stuff, no matter how old we are or how we got started.
Thanks for sharing your stories!
I still have my Childhood dollhouse... I call it The Lovely Old Dollhouse! My Grandfather built it for my sister and me when I was four and she was three using plans drawn up by my architect Father. That house has seen so much love and abuse, but I never let it go! I have always loved dollhouses and anything miniature, but I particularly remember a visit to the Children's Museum in Boston when I was six. They had a whole room full of antique dollhouses behind glass... incredible buildings and furnishings! I never got to the rest of the museum! I stopped building minis when I was a teenager but always knew that "Someday" I would get back to it! It now is the most Fun and Creative part of my life... combining so many of my loves... but the best surprise is the mini- blog community! What an amazing world it is!!!
ReplyDelete