Occasionally I acquire not so old miniature items to sell which equally intrigue me as much as genuinely old miniatures, and here is one of them.
This is an unusual 1/12th scale vintage style greenhouse, of stained wood and perspex construction, and it is now up for sale on KT Miniatures' website. The lower side exterior walls have been given a commercial imitation brick effect, which was readily available in the 1990s. The base at the front has been given a grey paving effect, with card I think, and there is a standby tap fixed to the front wall, left of the door.
The previous owner purchased it from the old Key Miniatures dolls house shop (Thame - Oxfordshire) during the late 1990s so it is at least 17 years old, and she has treasured it greatly. She tells me that it was made by the late husband of the original proprietor of the shop and it was a one off.
The door opens to reveal shelves running down each side, plus slightly aged terracotta floor tiles running down the central aisle.
The roof comes off for easy access to the interior.
The interior lower walls are covered in some kind of textured layer and the floor has a realistic dirt finish either side of the tiles.
On each side of the greenhouse the central hinged windows open, which adds to the quirkiness.
This would look amazing filled with a mixture of antique/vintage plants and garden artefacts, as well as new ones. As this greenhouse has been created in a vintage style it would lend itself to be given an aged paint effect to make it look older still, such as both walls and woodwork painted in off white colour perhaps?
This greenhouse is now up for sale on the following page:
