The last midweek Min before the endweek Min at the weekend. (At the NEC)

Three days to go and the only ones 100% ready are the exhibitors who have come from far away and are already here and the visitors who are champing at the bit but not allowed to start queuing until Saturday morning.

Colin Bird’s Victorian potboard dresser is ready

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keen readers of this column will recall from the last show that Colin is one of those British miniature furniture makers who help to give the UK its fantastic reputation among collectors – his furniture is a true miniature, being made of the same materials and in the same way as the full size item.  So is Colin ready?  Well, here’s where he’s up to right now with his Victorian extending table with fluted legs

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as you can see it’s ever so slightly just missing the top and the castors but you’ll never get this great view of the way it works once the top is on.

He’s not alone, some of my dolls will be going in their underwear

P1010133 though they do that for keen doll dressers who want to start making the frills immediately, if not sooner.  Some are ready to line up at the front door with the early queuers to see who is there.

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and if you’re wondering too, the stand order listing is now up on the Miniatura website.  What you won’t see until you get the brochure, is where the exhibitors are from.  You’ve already met Kathy, Lidi and Janine coming from Australia and the Canaries but I thought you might like to know which exhibitors you would have to travel round the world to see.  This is without doubt one of the great features of Miniatura International, it really is International.  I’ll give you the lowdown in alphabetical order, because at the time of compiling this list with Andy Hopwood’s help, that is what was available, but if you print off the stand order listing and this list and then spend two minutes with the floor plan and a pen at the entrance, you won’t miss, by walking, things you would otherwise have to fly round the world to see.  Here’s the list:

A Ankinaki   miniature sculptures from France.
De bezzzige bijen  luggage, footwear and leatherwear from Holland.
Elizabeth Causeret Bettler formidable French potter. 
Cernit  polymer modelling clay from Belgium in over 70 colours.
Cinderella German dealer with a big choice of German miniatures.
Club de la Miniature Francaise display of work from France.
Complemetos para casas de munecas Spanish linen and clothes.
Carola Herwig German Christmas trees and decorations.
IGMA from the US the International Guild of Miniature Artisans.
Bettina Kaminski  German maker of the world’s smallest teddy.
Janas minibucher German books, pop-up books and toy theatres.
Kathy B miniatures and Lidi’s baskets from Australia
The little dollhouse company from Canada, specialist retailer.
Brigitte Lohrmann retailer of handmade German minis.
Lesley Manieri  Australian knitter.
Miniarche German maker Irmgard Gritzan with furry rats and mice.
OM Gardens  interchangeable garden system from the Netherlands.
Poupee Tendresse specialist retailer of French miniatures.
Janet Reyburn Studio South African painted furniture.
Angie Scarr miniatures Angie lives in Spain, polymer clay food.
Klaas Schultz S. African miniatures on the Butler & Wright stand
 
Ursula Sturmer miniature jewellery from Germany.
Viola Williams dolls from the US on Carol Chinn’s stand.
and last  but not least Janine Crocker, her hats will be on Mary Williams stand but Janine, who says she doesn’t get out much, is likely to be anywhere and everywhere as she wants to see it all.  So can you, with a bit of homework.

Talking of which, have you decided what the mystery object is yet?  Sandra Morris of Tower House Dolls knows and so does Mags-nificent Mags.  What do you think this glass decanter with a hole in the bottom can be?

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It was made by Phil Grenyer of Glasscraft, who also makes these:

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And it is…………………………..

P1010094-1 a flytrap!  Yes the Victorian kitchen was abuzz with these delights.  They were baited with a little beer or sugar water.  The flies or wasps crawled round the bottom and went swimming in beer until they drowned and the cook just removed the stopper and poured them out.

This proves what I have always thought, the past is an enchanting place but  the only way I would want to live there is in miniature.  If you do too, join the queue from round the world and I’ll see you there!

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Now, where did I put my shopping basket?

Photo 11

www.miniatura.co.uk

www.colinbird.co.uk

The artisan’s websites and contact details are all in the brochure.  As it’s updated three times a year, the Miniatura brochure is one of the most comprehensive and current paper indexes of miniature artists working today and well worth getting your hands on.

JaneLaverick.com – round the world in miniature.

 

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