Collecting Miniatures

  • A Toast to Melba

    Like many collectors, I acquire items simply because I am drawn to them. While I may try to locate a provenance for most pieces, sometimes the journey is futile. That was the case with Clermont Manor by William Bowen. Surprisingly, however, the peach-colored room box led me down a family history discovery of my very […]

  • Executive Decisions

    As I write, the Kentucky Gateway Museum Center, which houses the KSB Miniatures Collection, is exhibiting Chartering Freedom. The traveling exhibition from the National Archives includes reproductions of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights—collectively known as the Charters of Freedom. I’m proud to say that two founding fathers, whose signatures […]

  • New Year, New Artisan

    I was enamored the moment I laid eyes on Victoria Morozova’s 1/12 scale interpretation of the H.O. Studley workbench. The Russian artisan presented it at the Miniature Masterworks show in September and I was the lucky one to take the extraordinary piece home. It was her first time in the States and this is the […]

  • Christmas at the Harrietta Plantation

    Christmas decorating always brings out the best in me. It goes back to my childhood. My mother went all out for the holidays and my father also enjoyed the festive preparations. It became a tradition in itself, always occurring on the day school let out for Christmas vacation. We had 12-foot ceilings at the townhome […]

  • One For the History Books

      He initially wanted to be a film set designer but as life has it—with its twists and turns, obstacles and opportunities—he became a miniaturist. One of the most famous in the world. Eugene Kupjack created more than 600 room boxes in his lifetime and is lauded for his work with Narcissa Thorne, widow of Montgomery […]

  • Show & Tell

                    There have been many outstanding shows this year. Miniaturists in all categories are continuing to raise the bar and it was particularly evident at the much anticipated Miniature Masterworks event last month. It was a juried show, the first of its kind here in the U.S., held […]

  • A Tale of Two Owners

      Isn’t one of the most satisfying aspects of creating miniature scenes the fact that you can insert your own memories into the story? Even in our historically accurate room boxes, I often slip a little something in that while totally true to the time frame, may be a reminder of something I love. One […]

  • Chessington Plaza

    Early in my collecting days I ran into a problem that actually inspired one of my favorite structures in the KSB Miniatures Collection. I was contemplating what my second commission would be and as I analyzed the furnishings I had so lovingly accumulated, I realized I had branched into two distinctive furniture styles: American Traditional […]

  • 21 Rue Bonaparte

    In Paris, at the intersection of Rue Bonaparte and Rue Jacob is a well-known tea room and patisserie called Ladurée. Known worldwide for its macarons, their delightful pastries were featured in the 2006 historical drama Marie Antoinette and more recently in the TV show Gossip Girl. Before becoming a luxe bakery, the address also once […]

  • Janet Middlebrook Unveiled

    Every spring, when we put the wedding exhibit up as part of our seasonal displays, I have to pause in amazement at the work of Janet Middlebrook. Placing her tiny wedding dresses on hangers and fluffing a 1/12-scale bridal veil she created offers a beautiful reminder of her body of work, which spans over 35 […]