Monday, April 29, 2013

Sherlock Holmes: models and mustache



I've posted a few times in the past on Sherlock related miniatures and models.  Here are a few I came across recently.  The above model is by a Ms. Caroline Stafford of the U.K.  It is for sale for 345 British Pounds here



 For previous posts visit:




Meanwhile, the following are from a Mr. Arthur Walker (aka Charles Baskerville) of Florida.  Read more about his model here.   Nice model and mustache Mr. Baskerville!



















Thought I'd close with this very nice graphic I found while searching for the post.


Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Open House Miniatures



These are beautifully constructed miniatures made by Elizabeth Plain (who thinks her name is too awkward for a website name so calls her site Open House Miniatures).  She has a blog well worth visiting.  If you are so inclined, you can take a crack at printing out and building some of her models, from a page she supplies for that purpose.   She is also very generous in showing readers how she makes her miniatures.   If you want to buy a piece, visit her  Etsy site.  Great work EP! 
































Sunday, April 21, 2013

Anne S.K. Brown Lead Soldiers







 Anne S. K. Brown Military Collection is one of the largest research collections devoted to the history and iconography of soldiers and soldiering, from circa 1500 to 1945. Formerly a private collection, it was donated to the Brown University Library in 1981.



Ms. Brown's diorama of Count Rocmbeau landing at Newport in 178















During her honeymoon to Europe in 1930, Mrs. Brown purchased a number of lead soldiers from toy shops in Germany, France and Britain with the intention of setting-up a display in one of the rooms of her new house on Benefit Street. The majority of these figures were made by the Britains, Heyde and Mignot companies. Further figures were acquired in the following years including a number specially commissioned by Mrs. Brown. When the collection came to Brown University in 1981-82, special cases were made to house the collection of over 5,000 figures. This now forms a permanent display on the third floor of the John Hay Library. The figures are in 96 cases marching from left to right with ancient Egyptians at the front up to Queen Elizabeth II. In additional are porcelain figurines and a collection of miniature soldiers made by Howard Willetts.

Among the items commissioned are a large group depicting units of United States Militia in the 1830's and 1840's modelled after Huddy and Duval plates in the United States Military Magazine published in Philadelphia between 1839 and 1842. A friendof Mrs. Brown's, Madame Metayer of Paris fabricated a fine collection of figures depicting units of Napoleon's army in addition to making a fine diorama of the landing of Count Rochambeau at Newport in 1781 which is on loan to the Newport Historical Society. Another item made for Mrs. Brown depicts a scene from Napoleon's retreat from Moscow in 1812, while a group of figures arming a cannon represent the Rhode Island Train of Artillery in 1775.

There are coronation coaches and state landaus, a Papal procession, various kings and queens ranging from Henry VIII and his six wives to Queen Elizabeth II in a police uniform. Generals Grant and Lee lead their respective armies, while Roman charioteers whip their horses. A ceramic Chinese funeral party carries a large sacophagus, while Medieval knights made by Courteney of England charge forward. Hospital waggons rumble along, while a British searchlight team scans the skies for enemy plains. Victor Emmanuel II and Mussolini lead their troops and Nazi brownshirts carry banners. There are camel units, elephant batteries, World War One French 
bicycle troops, tanks and armored cars, and numerous cavalry troops.




Our True Intent Is All For Your Delight - John Hinde photographs



"Our True Intent Is All For Your Delight"

The phrase doesn't roll off the tongue but it may invoke nostalgic memories of vacations past for many in the UK.  It is the slogan for Butlin Holiday Camps and is also the name of a  book containing John Hinde's photographs.   As for why I like these images I don't think I can say it better than Martin Parr who wrote the book's introduction:


 As with all Hinde images, they show an idealised view of the world and, after the passage of time, acquire the power of a lost dream. The most remarkable thing of all is that the cards were painstakingly produced not for an aspirational ideas or as great art, but as humble postcards to sell for a few pence to holidaymakers." - Martin Parr







































From Amazon: In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the John Hinde Studio, based in Dublin, produced a series of postcards to be sold at Butlin's holiday camps throughout the British Isles. Famous for their "hi-de-hi" catchphrase, redcoat hosts and bargain packages with all entertainment included, Butlin's annually hosted over a million holidaying Britons throughout the 1970s. It was the challenging job of two German (Elmar Ludwig and Edmund Nägele) and one British photographer (David Noble) to execute the photographs to Hinde's rigorous formula and standards. With innovative use of color and elaborate staging (the trademarks of a John Hinde postcard), each photograph is painstakingly produced, with often large casts of real holidaymakers acting their allocated roles in these narrative tableaux of the Butlin's quiet lounges, ballrooms and Beachcomber bars. Shot with large-format cameras and lit like a film set, these photographs were an extraordinary undertaking in their production values, and helped John Hinde become one of the most successful postcard publishers in the world. Most of the John Hinde Butlin's photographs have only ever been published as postcards. This new affordable edition of Our True Intent Is All For Your Delight, first published to critical acclaim and popular success in 2002, is published to mark the 75th anniversary of Butlins.




Thursday, April 18, 2013

Aloha Lanes..... somewhere in California


This is a fantastic model.  My compliments to the builder,  Mike Cozart.  On his site, he describes a passion for all things mid-century.  This 1/8th scale model depicts a time and place that seems ideal.   It's Brady- Bunch  -ish (is that a word?).    The model is cool but so are the photographs.  They add to the blue sky safe feeling of the  place. 
































Saturday, April 13, 2013

Sherlock, Warhol, Fitzgerald's cane, and fantastic miniature books




Today I attended the  New York Antiquarian Book Fair at the Park Avenue Armory.  The building itself is impressive and beautiful. Yoko Ono, apparently a fan, commented on the event (from the Fair's website): “It is exciting in a way you probably don't expect when you just hear the word "Book Fair." Well, to me it is just as exciting as sitting in the dark of the theatre and watch a horror film!  This experience is not horror. But it's just as exciting!” 

Most interesting to me were original copies of Strand Magazine, which first serialized the Sherlock Holmes stories, as well as some notable paper/pop out type books and an impressive selection of miniature books.











SHERLOCK!


























Nice pic of wildlife photographer Peter Beard, on the cover of a rare edition.




How about this?




Vintage Disney pop-up  book "Mickey Mouse in King Arthur's Court" ($2,500).



Fitzgerald 















Mr. Jonathan Gesterner, a London based dealer of rare books (Marlborough Rare Books) who had some excellent paper tunnel type books (also called peepshows) and antique panoramas on display. 
















Miniature books:



This is Suzanne Hamlin, a lovely person who taught me a lot about miniature books today.  She and her husband, Ian Kahn, run a fantastic company (meaning they have a lot of things I want!) called Lux Mentis, based in Portland, Maine.   I especially love their company graphic (directly below).  The Lux Mentis site is well worth a visit if you want to buy a unique miniature book (or a large sized book for that matter).









You can download several catalogs of miniature books on the Lux Mentis website.













 A fantastic copy of Shakespeare's  The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, with a sculpted skull built into the binding. 





This is my favorite piece from the fair.  A souvenir from the 1939 World's Fair.  It has a metal embossed cover and an accordion style fold out. 











The two pieces below are from The Kelmscott Bookshop, which has been described as "Baltimore's best and largest antiquarian book store".  The shop has many specialties, but I was most intrigued by the art books below shown to me by owner and bibliophile Fran Durako.









 


                        Parting shot: One of the grand staircases at the Park Avenue Armory.