Tom and Lois Sawtell spent their retirement years sharing an interest in history and a passion for miniatures. They married, purchased an historic home built in the 1800s and raised a family in the ideally New England community of Guilford, Connecticut. There they built and collected miniatures which now seek new happy homes at my next estate auction which starts on Sunday, September 18 at 7pm ET and will end on Sunday, September 25 at approximately 7pm ET* on my eBay site here.
The Sawtell's were so involved in the miniatures world and crafting and collecting that they built an extension to their home with acted as their shared studio workspace and filled it with specialty tools, materials and supplies for making miniatures.
The pair spent time taking expert level classes at the famed Guild School in Castine, Maine and at the annual Guild Study Program in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia and other locations along the East Coast. Some classes they took together and some separately but always with one thing in mind:learning how to make awesome miniatures...and succeeding!
The Sawtell's paid very careful attention to the history behind the pieces that they crafted, taking copious notes on their background and stories. They were maticulous in their attention to detail when putting these pieces together in the classes they took with IGMA instructors. ABOVE: Corner Cupboard and Ladder Back Chair crafted by the Sawtell's in a class taught by IGMA Fellow Mark Murphy. William Clinger Chair (middle photo).
They were quite social and had an extension network of friends they took class with and learned from.
I'm pleased to present the Sawtell Collection Estate Sale. Many of the pieces available in this sale were masterfully designed and prepared for the Sawtell's to build by Guild Artisan and Fellow instructors (and some of the best educators on the planet) including Mark Murphy, Carol Hardy, Sally and George Hoffman, Sue Rountree and others.
Additionally, there are a number of other yummy miniatures the couple purchased for their collection inlacing works by Mary McGrath, Elizabeth Chambers, Stokesay Ware, The Arnells of Bermuda, Pete Acquisto, Obadiah Fisher, Jane Graber, Carol Hardy, Al Chandronait as well as unsigned, high-quality, artisan works. ABOVE: Paul Revere tea pot on monogrammed footed plate by IGMA Fellow Obadiah Fisher.
Above: Soup Tureen (Amanda Skinner), Miniature Dollhouse (Unsigned), Wildlife Sculpture (Mary McGrath), Area Rug Needlepoint (Unsigned), Teddy Bear with Red Bow (Unsigned) and Hand-painted seascape by Sachem Studios.
This sale also includes several historical room boxes and vignettes imagined and designed in miniature by IGMA artists and crafted by the Sawtell's in classes taught at various Guild Study programs including the above kitchen vignette designed by Allison Ashby and Steve Jedd inspired by the Governor's Palace Kitchen in Colonial Williamsburg and crafted by Tom Sawtell in a 2005 class taught by the Jedds in 2005.
This sale goes live on Sunday, September 18 at 7pm ET and will end on Sunday, September 25 at approximately 7pm ET* on my eBay site here. Click link below for to preview more of the lots offered in the sale. Happy Bidding!
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Until Next Time Thank you for being a part of the
D. Thomas Miniatures Community!