Miniatura is over until Spring 2027, until when, although it is in the far future, will not be long enough to do all the things I plan to do. The show itself, the visitors, the ambience, all give me many ideas. I write them in my book during the show, and when people ask me for things they’d like me to have a go at.
Two occurrences at this show have been particularly notable. One is a fantastic new artist I’ll tell you about later. People with long memories know that for about twenty years I reported the show for magazines. I used to set up my table, leave a helper in charge and then stride round the hall in two and a half inch heels, interviewing artists, trying to get as many interviewed on Saturday as possible. This was not only because I could then spend time with my own customers on Sunday but also because the magazine photographer was only paid to be there on Saturday. I used to weave my way through a thousand people, none of them looking at me, all suddenly stepping backwards into me when I was carrying precious miniatures to the photography studio, always with the promise to get back as soon as I could in case someone wanted to buy the exact item I had removed. The most artisans I interviewed in a day was twenty seven, a couple of them in languages I did not speak. Which was interesting. The most nerve wracking was carrying a large architrave, hand carved by John Hodgson for the house at Hever Castle. It was massive and heavy and I was followed by John who only mentioned casually that it was worth several thousand pounds and could I be careful because he didn’t have time to do it again.
Now I am doing the show on my own I am unable to go round the show and have a look, but on Sunday morning, before public entry, my passage back from the cup of tea stand was arrested by wonderful paintings, of which more later.
The second happening at this show was not a good one. Having a little tidy up and putting dolls who had wandered around back in their places, I came across an abandoned purchase in its little gold carrier bag. I did ask Andy if he could put out an announcement but he said if he did the show would be nothing but announcements, so he couldn’t. I know this is true by the number of people who have stopped by my stand to ask: Have you seen my husband/ wife/ daughter/ son/ friend I came with? The interesting thing is that husbands never have any idea what their wives are wearing. You might as well live in your gardening trousers and bin day cardi, for all the notice they are taking. Friends, however, can tell me everything, down to which earrings you were wearing when you left home.
If the purchase leaver was you, please click on Leave a comment below and tell me what was in the bag and I’ll send it. If you do not read this web site, I’ll keep taking it to subsequent shows until it is claimed.
I was delighted to meet everyone I talked to. Miniaturists are utterly brilliant, knowledgeable, clever and creative. I love hearing about houses and seeing photographs. Maybe the best couple was a husband and wife team. He had built the dolls’ house for her and she was filling it. That is the way to build happiness into a marriage. The most unusual was a security guard who was amazed by the show and asked me in a lull about the possibility of doing miniatures as a hobby with his children. Of course I told him of my experiences with the S&H and people I know who are no longer on the planet in person but whose children still have them in the house they made together. I thought he was going to burst into tears. Gathering himself he vowed to do that and I hope he will be security guarding next show and able to tell me how he is getting on.
Most surprising was a visitor who recognised my name which is sewn along two sides of my table. As a child she had read Dolls House World when visiting her grandmother’s house. As long term readers know (hello!) the only people I love more than miniaturists are readers. Recently there have been items on the television news about the government belatedly encouraging people to stop doom scrolling on their phones, which is bad for you and only encourages you to chuck yourself under a bus, and instead read words which is good for your brain. Who knew? (We did.) (Always.)
The other surprise was a visitor being surprised when I asked her to count the number of people with dementia in the hall. Zero. None.
If you got a thousand people in any other place, especially when hundreds of them are quite mature, you’d expect a few struggling to keep up. You just don’t get that with miniatures. On two days running of over a thousand people each day in one hall, every single one was laser focussed on the shopping list, or lists (one for each house), the next kit, the next build, the bits needed, the special purchase, the workshop, the chat, the advice.
When you get home from the show with your brain buzzing, it is worth noting what dolls’ housering is doing for you.
It makes you completely sane.
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The next Miniatura is 20th and 21st of March, tickets go on sale on the Miniatura website in November. Details at www.miniatura.co.uk
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