2015 Top Stories in Miniatures Compiled by D. Thomas Fine Miniatures!

It was a GREAT year for the miniatures world! A number of high profile media outlets reported on the topic, giving much needed support and awareness around the small-arts which we know and love!

Here provides a hand-curated list of just a few of the BIGGEST news stories to hit the little world in 2015:

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Artist "Shrinks" Historical Rooms in Miniature Masterpieces

Henry Kupjack on the CBS Evening News

June 22, 2015

CBS Evening News features this story about reknowned miniaturist Henry Kupjack with an interview by veteran journalist Dean Reynolds. Viewers are invited into Mr. Kupjack's studio and to hear stories about his famous father, Eugene Kupjack, noted for his particiapation in creating the famed Thorne Rooms on permanent exhibition at the Art Institute Chicago.

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Letter of Recommendation: The Thorne Miniature Rooms

The Thorne Rooms in The New York Times Magazine

September 17, 2015

Writer Charles Siebert takes the reader through the history of miniatures in this story about the acclaimed architectually accurate minature rooms that make up the Thorne Rooms commissioned by Narsissa Niblack Thorne on permanent exhibit at the Art Institute of Chicago.

A slide show filled with gorgeous photographs of the collection accompany the story.

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Grunwald Gallery Brings Magic to Minis

The Miniature at the Grunwald Gallery/Herald Times

August 31, 2015

Fine art miniatures and contemporary art in miniature join forces for "The Miniature" at the Grunwald Gallery at Indiana University/Bloomington. This storytalks about the tiny treasures and other thought-provoking wee-world creations exhibited by miniature artisans including Thomas Doyle, Joe Fig,Michael Yurkovich, Mark Murphy and Althea Chrome among others.

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Dollhouse Appraised at $8.5 Millon Is on Tour

The Astolat Castle Featured in the New York Times

July 16, 2015

Once again, miniatures are featured in the New York Times in this story about the Astolat Castle, reported to be the most expensive dollhouse in the world and appraised at $8.5 Million. The house began its tour with stopover at the Time Warner Center in New York City, just in time for the 2015 holdiay season!

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Worlds Largest Pint Size Tourist Attraction to Open.

Gulliver's Gate Launch in Crain's New York Business

November 17, 2015

This may just be the BIGGEST story to hit the miniatures world in a long long time about Guliver's Gate featured in Crain's Business News. This new interactive miniatures destination promises to be THE attraction to see when visiting New York City! 49,000 square feet filled with miniature marvels promises to excite, delight and astound and will be located in the former New York Times building in Times Square.

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It's A Small World

D. Thomas Fine Miniatures in Westchester Magazine

November, 2015

D. Thomas Fine Miniatures is featured in a story in Westchester Magazinetalking about the latest gallery installation: Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window in Miniature. The piece, which won top prize at the Philidelphia Flower Show in 2015 was created by artist, author and educator Louise Krasniewicz who writes a blog about miniatures called The Wonder of Miniature Worlds.

Here's to another GREAT year of miniatires in the news in 2016!!

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ABOUT D. THOMAS FINE MINIATURES

D. Thomas Fine Miniatures is an online and in-store retail destination featuring artisan dollhouses and top quality collectibles including 1/12th scale furniture and accessories. The shop also offers workshops and classes taught by master artisans.

The concept, designed to appeal to collectors, crafters and enthusiasts at all skill levels and abilities, was created, in part, to raise awareness of miniatures as a decorative art form and to introduce the discipline not only to a new generation but to those who may just be discovering it!

The shop also features a gallery space showcasing works in miniature by well-known artists from all over the world.

D. Thomas Fine Miniatures is located at 579 Warburton Avenue in the village of Hastings-on-Hudson NY. Gallery and shop hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm and Sunday from Noon to 5:00 pm. Evening hours are available by appointment.

For more, follow D. Thomas Fine Miniatures on: Instagram Facebook and Twitter.

Museum of Miniatures Pt. 1: The Kathleen Savage Browning Collection

Summer is finally here—the official season of both the road trip and the getaway. There’s no better time to take a “little” vacation? (pun intended). In the spirit of summer, we are featuring a short series of posts that will spotlight the absolute best miniatures museums from around the world. We have chosen each of these places because of their rich, unique collections of upscale miniature pieces by some of the most established miniaturists of all time. Needless to say, each and every one of these places is more than worth the visit.

The Kathleen Savage Browning collection at the Kentucky Gateway Museum Center is the perfect museum to start off this series. This museum boasts one of the largest, most extensive personal collections of exquisite 1/12th scale pieces of all time.

Kaye Savage Browning, the collection’s proprietor and owner, has been collecting miniatures since 1974. Since then, she has traveled the world in search of the finest miniature creations.

In 2007, Ms. Savage Browning opened the 3300 square foot gallery in order to share her collection with the public—the collection has grown to include thousands of miniatures, roomboxes, homes and exhibits.

Visitors of all ages will enjoy viewing discussing the many historically accurate miniature replicas pieces, which depict objects and scenes from a wide array of time periods, and preserve important cultural sites in miniature.

The museum is also home to a number of rare exhibit pieces, such as the Spencer House—a 1/12th replica of the ancestral home of Lady Diana, the Princess of Wales, created by famed miniature artisans, Mulvany and Rogers. Each and every detail of the 18th century replica has been created by hand in an exact likeness of the historical landmark in London.

Mrs. Savage Browning’s collection is truly quite remarkable in every sense of the word. The museum is an absolute must-see for all who love miniatures, from the casual collector, to the ardent miniaturist.

The museum is located at 215 Sutton Street in Maysville, Kentucky and is open to the public Tuesday-Friday from 10am until 4pm, and Saturday from 10 to 3. You can also visit the collection’s website for more information or check out the KSB Blog to read some great posts about the collection and other miniature topics.

(Photo Credits: Pinterest, KSB Collection Website, American Towns, Cincinatti Magazine, Facebook)

Miniature Icons: Traditional v. New School

For much of it’s history, upscale, collectible miniature art has been primarily focused on creating miniature works that replicate Victorian style and early 20th century architecture, art, clothing and the like—after all, the dollhouse and the practice of creating miniatures were founded during this era. Traditional miniaturists focus on preserving this style through their work, often replicating full sized pieces from the time period in 1:12 scale. Some of the masters of this tradition spend their entire careers meticulously researching and designing and crafting ornate pieces which are reminiscent of times past.

One notable master of the “old” style, is Peter Acquisto, who is known for his precise 1:12 (and 1:24) scale reproductions of antique silver pieces.

Geoffrey Wonnacott is another master who makes exquisite miniature furniture that is often sourced from reclaimed antiques.

Henry Kupjack is yet another example of an artist who has really mastered this style. His magnificent to-scale room “boxes” replicate scenes from the 19th and early 20th century.

However, while the more traditional works are what come to mind when many of us think of miniatures, there is also a growing group of miniaturists who are defining themselves as distinctively “new-school.” These designers focus on creating modern and contemporary style miniature pieces that are reminiscent of the design styles that have been prominent from the 1950’s to today.

Michael Yurkovic is perhaps one of the biggest names when it comes to new style miniatures. Founder of the Atomic Miniature, his pieces replicate the brightly colored, clean, modern designs of the 1950s and 60’s.

Similarly, miniature potter John Almeda creates high-quality miniature pots, vases and bowls that are uniquely modern.

Finding artists who are focused on contemporary miniature style is a bit more rare, but artist Sae Nakagawa’s clean, rustic, minimalist designs have really set the bar for this style.

Do you prefer the traditional or the contemporary? Who are you favorite icons of these styles? Let us know in the comments below!

(Photo Credits: Pinterest, Good Sam Showcase of Miniatures, Charitybuzz, IGMA, Instagram)