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| Miniature Houses |
Take a peek inside these perfect little homes.
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Don and Cecile Power of Aspley in Brisbane, have a huge passion for small things. From functional tiny tearooms to fully furnished miniature houses this husband and wife team design, create and sell miniatures of all descriptions.
They have enjoyed the fascinating "world of miniatures" for the past 12 years, although for Cecile it has been a lifetime interest stemming from her childhood years of playing with her doll house. Their hobby and business really kicked off in 1987 when husband Don was made redundant. Together they began to construct their first miniature house.
Following instructions from an English magazine, the scale of the house that the Powers started building (Keele Cottage) was of unusual measurement (1/16th scale). As the normal scale for miniatures is 1/12th, Don and Cecile had trouble finding the correct sized building materials, fittings and furniture and therefore had to build their own.
And so began their miniature mania. They have moved on to designing and constructing specific rooms, street scenes and houses and often travel interstate to display their work in “miniature” exhibitions.
Miniature work is slow and painstaking and with Don back in the workforce some projects can take years to complete. “We don’’t seem to have enough time to build as many miniatures as we would like - somehow earning a living gets in the way”. When Don does retire he plans on turning his profitable hobby into a full time occupation again.
The Powers’ double garage (no room for the car) has been modified to suit their hobby. An internal wall separates the workshop from their business ‘Think Small’ where miniature items are displayed for sale.
‘Think Small’ was founded with the intention to make varied miniature items available to beginners and serious collectors. If ‘Think Small’ doesn’t have what the customer is looking for, the Powers are only too happy to help them find it.
Some of the miniature products available are:
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Building components - doors, windows, weatherboards, roofing tile sheets, shingles, chimney pots, wall plaques, brackets, picture rails, columns, skirting boards, architraves, cornices, finials, hinges, door handles, door knockers, staircase kits, ceiling roses, timber flooring, carpets, wall paper, fire places, verandah posts, simulated leadlight, tiles, etc.
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Furniture for every room in the house - ready made furniture or kit furniture is available or ‘make your own’ from basswood, cherry or mahogany in various thicknesses. Handmade accessories - vases, tea sets, urns, tureens with ladles, plates, books, etc., are also available.
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Toys and Clothes. Australian-made house and dollhouse kits also come with working windows / shutters, doors, verandah posts, rails and internal stairs.
Examples On Display
‘Keele Cottage’. This is the first house that the Powers’ built. It is around 73cm high x 73cm long and is fully furnished. The cottage is named after Cecile’s English ancestors who lived in Keele. The house that they lived in is now part of Keele University.
‘The Nursery’. A cluttered but cosy nursery which is furnished with a fire place, washstand, cot, toys, a pram and more domestic props.
‘The Study’ is one of the Powers’ favourites. On the back wall are some miniature watercolours by Don’’s brother-in-law, Edward Bellas, an artist with a gallery in Sunderland, UK. The study is furnished with a bookcase, fireplace, desk and swivel chair, an arm chair and foot rest, a table with newspaper and decanter, and a man with a dog bringing him his slippers. Fantastic realism in the detail.
‘Rosie’’s Tearoom’. The tearoom contains memories of a trip to England, with watercolours by Edward Bellas, painted while the Powers were holidaying in the village of Kettlewell in Yorkshire, UK. There is also a chandelier which was made specially for the Powers by Glasscraft and was a surprise gift. There are a couple of ladies seated for tea with an attending waitress (complete with a tray of cakes). There are teapots on shelves, a cash register, an umbrella stand and a plant stand.
‘Great Expectations’. In Charles Dickens’’ "Great Expectations", Miss Haversham received a letter from her fiancee calling off the wedding just as she was getting dressed for the big event. At the time she had one shoe on and the other was on the mantle - and she never changed out of her dress. Her half-packed trunk rests in the corner and on the dressing table is a bouquet of dead roses and her long gloves. Cobwebs festoon the ceiling.
‘The Christmas Carolist’. This has just been completed for the 1999 Brisbane Miniature Show. A woman looks out from her doorway onto a Victorian street scene. The cobble-stone street and footpaths are covered with snow and there are children and a man singing Christmas carols.
‘The Conservatory’. This room is furnished with statues and plants and the exterior of the room is landscaped.
(All of the houses and rooms are wired up- all the lights work. Even the fireplaces glow).
Both Don and Cecile are very keen members of the Brisbane Miniature Enthusiasts Association, (Cecile has just been elected Chairperson for 1999) and they work with other members to present the annual Brisbane Dollhouse and Miniature Exhibition every spring.
The Brisbane Miniature Enthusiasts Association (BMEA) is an educational, non-profit organisation dedicated to the miniature collector and builder through sharing ideas and experiences among its members. The BMEA has around 70 members with a mixture of miniaturists, both collectors and artisans. There are meetings, exhibitions and workshops for enthusiasts.
~COST
There is a fully illustrated catalogue available for $10.00. (Anyone who buys a catalogue receives a free newsletter in March and September with specials, new products, how-to corner, competition and miniature news.)
NB: Think Small also send mail orders to miniaturists in Australia, New Zealand and several overseas countries.
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More Info
Australian Miniature Enthusiasts Association
Contact: Chris Ann Urquhart
PO Box 172
Cherrybrook NSW 2126
Ph: 02 9899 5719
e-mail: amea_inc@hotmail.com
http://amea.homepage.com
Miniature Makers and Collectors Association
Contact: Nerida O'Callaghan
Ph: 02 9630 2804
Brisbane Miniature Enthusiasts Association
Contact: Cecile Power
Ph: 07 3263 2766
Tasmania Miniature Enthusiasts Association
Contact: Jan Jones
Ph: 03 6229 5482
Victorian Association of Miniature Enthusiasts
Contact: Andrea Currie
Ph: 03 9592 9628
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Disclaimer
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