A Parade Of Little Fireplaces

Oh my goodness...is it really THAT long since I last posted on here, huge apologies! I have been here at KT Miniatures..honest (well most of the time), but life just lately has been non stop, plus there have been some little distractions too (ie. grandchildren and extra Grandma duties).  Many  gorgeous  treasures have come and gone off the website these past few weeks, and at times business has been brisk, but I have not been able to find the time to feature them on here.

Well today I decided I must make time for this blog, and this morning I have listed several fireplaces and related items to KT Miniatures website. They vary in age, scale, design and of course...price. 

Unknown Antique Wooden Fireplace

This unvarnished wooden fireplace is intriguing. I feel it is very old but I know nothing of its origin or maker. Judging by the style I suspect this was made during the inter-wars era, and probably homemade. 

Curiously there is a tiny letter F written in pencil in the hearth, so I suspect there was some kind of fire fret or grate over the top of this writing, but now it is long gone. It would not be too difficult to create a simple fire fret out of card. 

Two c1930s Tiny Toy Fireplaces

This mottled painted fireplace is instantly recognisable as a Tiny Toy fireplace, made in the 1930s. Various Tiny Toy furniture came in this speckled painted finish. 

The style of this fireplace is very 1930s in style. There is a simple painted wooden grate and fire insert plus a fixed hearth. 

Here is another Tiny Toy fireplace, and although it is the same shape as the other fireplace,  as you can see it has a very different finish. 

This comes in a varnished wooden finish, with decorative green painted strips around the surround. The wooden grate is very similar to the one seen in the mottled fireplace. This too has a very 1930s and Art Deco feel to it. 

All three fireplaces above are suitable for a 1/16th scale dolls house or old dolls house where scale does not matter. 

Unusual Vintage Wooden Fireplace

Here is a larger and quite substantial wooden fireplace, and quite unusual in style. Exact age or maker is unknown.  However there is what looks to be a possible price of 6/11 written in pencil on the back, which suggests that this could be from the pre-decimalisation era (1971) and that it was probably made commercially. 

The mantelpiece is unusually shaped and edged in wood effect wallpaper. Some lighter wallpaper is found along the top and around the lower central area of the fire surround. The hearth is covered in vintage brick paper which has been heavily varnished. 

At 4" high, this should be suitable for a 1/12th scale dolls house, and  possibly even a slightly larger scale dolls house too. 

Two early 1950s Dol-Toi Fireplaces

This green painted wooden fireplace (seen above) is by Dol-Toi and the pink painted wooden fireplace (seen below) also by Dol-Toi,  are so pretty and simply ooze nostalgia! The green fireplace is in a good played with condition. 

The pink fireplace is showing a little wear on the paintwork (there is a weeny bit of paper missing from the left side border of the printed lit fire paper image) but nothing too detrimental. 

Both these fireplaces date from the early 1950s and are suitable for a 1/16th scale dolls house. 

c1950s Yellow Painted Barton Fireplace

I really like this simple wooden fireplace by Barton, it reminds me of my childhood lounge fireplace. This particular model dates from the 1950s. 

This has been given a tiled effect finish by scored symmetrical lines, so very typical of the 1950s style fireplaces found in the UK houses at that time. In fact the tiled fireplaces were even found in the 1930s too. 

The Barton fireplace is in 1/16th scale. 

My childhood house that I grew up in was a 1930s house with a grey tiled fireplace in our lounge.  I remember watching the fire being cleaned out every morning (apart from in the summer), then the fire would be set with screwed up newspaper placed on top of the grate, kindling wood would be placed on top, and then one or two lumps of coal. This would not be lit until late afternoon. We had no other heating in the rest of the house, and as we never knew anything different back then, we just wore lots of layers of warm clothes. I would often wake up seeing the curtains frozen to my bedroom window. My kids who have been brought up in central heated houses, think that this is hilarious!! 

A Couple Of Old Fire Accessories

This old fender is of solid brass and is rather decorative along the top. 

It is quite compact in size, measuring just 3 1/4" in length and is actually in a relatively good played with condition which is nice. (Often these old brass fenders are seen discoloured or badly mottled). 

And finally, here is a 1930s Taylor and Barrett metal coal box. 

The small lid is removable, so  needless to say, there are many of these tiny coal boxes out there missing either the lid or the bottom half! So although the base is slightly damaged, it is refreshing to still have the lid with this coal box. 

 Yep, some previous little owner has clearly tried to poke their finger (or some implement) through the base, so it has split slightly but thankfully the damaged base is well hidden so not noticeable. Nevertheless though, I am selling this at a reduced price due to the damage. 

All items seen here are at the time of writing this blog are available for purchase and can be seen on the Living and Dining Room Page on KT Miniatures:

https://ktminiatures.com/living-and-dining-room/
 
Thanks for stopping by.

Celia

KT Miniatures

A Little Sitting Room Inside An Old Clock

 Here is a recent creation on behalf of a family member, who asked if I could make a little something for a special friend of theirs.  It had to be "very pink and lacey"… and oh what fun I had with it, as it was a million miles away from my norm (and my comfort zone)! It was to be a 1/12^th scale sitting room with specific items based on the recipient’s own special possessions and likes, including her love of reading so a bookcase (she is a big Jane Austen fan), a “pink cuddle armchair”, mirror, Ginny (her Cavalier King Charles spaniel) , her favourite plant (aglaonema), a Nursing Times (she is a nurse), a teapot & mug (as she is a big tea drinker), plus replicas of two of her precious family pictures. So here it is and this is how I made it...

After some pondering and discussion, it was decided to use a vintage clock that I had tucked away in my old workroom, it was left over from a past project. Old clocks are ideal if one is looking for something small and unobtrusive to make a simple room scene in. The glass clock face had not been in great condition and was long gone, but the back of the clock had the most wonderful miniature door, as is often the case. Hence the original back of the clock was now the front! The downside was that the exterior was quite marked, but I was confident I could restore it up to a point. 

The glass had already been removed and the back reinforced with thick cardboard, covered in felt and edged with cord - a technique I have used umpteen times before. 

The hole inside was filled with a round piece of thick cardboard, and interior ceiling/walls painted a flesh shade of pink. 

I spotted some lovely funky pinkish craft paper in an art shop which was perfect. It was cut to shape and fixed to the back wall. As a focal point, I decided to insert a simple vintage fireplace that had seen better days and a pre-loved mirror, very similar to the recipients own lounge mirror. 

Once the craft paper was in place, pink felt was fixed down to represent carpet. The fireplace and a strip of wood offcut to be used for a hearth, was painted bright pink, then fixed centrally in place. The mirror was glued above the fireplace...this was now beginning to take shape. 

A family picture and photo document which had a special resonance to the recipient, were created and relevant frames made from strip wood, and glazed with acetate. They were fixed to each side of the mirror. So too some antique lace fixed around the doorway, just to give it a bit of frilliness :)

And now for the other accessories...

The big "cuddle chair" was literally a spare vintage one that I had tucked away for a rainy day, as a back foot was cracked plus the fabric was not a particularly attractive floral pattern. 

However, I decided that the back foot would be unseen, and the floral fabric could be disguised by hiding under several layers of pink acrylic paint - sneaky trick I discovered many years ago and quite effective!

A vintage cushion that I had tucked away, finished off the chair perfectly. 

The "aglaonema" plant was created from using the leaves from this photo supplied of the actual plant, which were then printed on thin paper and cut out. 

Using Tacky Glue, they were then fixed to green florist wire, which was then set into a mixture of glue and dried tea leaves inside an old wooden pot, painted pink of course. :)  

It kind of worked and I was quite pleased with the result. 

Ginny the dog was represented by using a scaled down photo of her, which was then stuck to cardboard, glazed with acetate, framed with wood strip and given wooden feet. Finally it was topped with a tiny brass handle I had in my "spares box". 

The bookcase was made from wood strip painted in burnt umber acrylic, and filled with almost 50 of my handmade books.

 Yes, they took absolutely ages to make - although many of the covers were tucked away in a file which I had already created and pre-printed onto matt card a long time ago (left over from the days when I used to make and sell miniature books). Although, whilst creating some Jane Austen books from images found on the internet, to my dismay I discovered my hastily bought cheap printer (after my other one suddenly broke) would not print on card! So I had to resort to a Plan B...and print the miniaturised scanned covers onto paper, then stick them onto card, and then create cardboard inserts...but it worked ok! 

All the printed covers I edged in gold gel pen, and some had miniaturised paper dust covers which were glued over coloured card. For most of the books, I inserted tiny wooden inserts, all cut to fit from old strip wood. For the smaller and thinner books I created cardboard inserts. It is ages since I made tiny books but I really enjoyed the creativity of it all :)

I have left them all loose so that the recipient can arrange them as she wishes. 

I added a tiny vintage occasional table, tiny mug and teapot with decorative tea cosy - all of which I have had sitting in a box for ages but which suited this project beautifully. Plus I created a mocked up Nursing Times and a tiny Pride & Prejudice book - as these also have specific resonance to the recipient. The plant was placed on the mantelpiece, along with two British artisan made purple glass candlesticks with mock candles (I have had several of these for many years sitting unused in a box and shamefully I cannot remember the maker's name - all I can remember is that he lived on the south coast). 

Finally, the exterior was tidied up using a combination of burnt umber and raw umber acrylic paint applied with a fine paint brush to disguise the ugly marks to the damaged exterior. Then my last task was to buff the exterior extensively with wax polish and a soft cloth. It came up a treat!

Thanks for taking a peek.

 

Celia

KT Miniatures

KT Miniatures Is Back Open For Business!

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL!

KT Miniatures is now back open for business once again. Am now embarking on my 26th year of trading, and my goodness, that does make me feel old!

By some miracle my family actually managed to avoid Covid this time  (it was a close call) and we really did have a lovely Xmas. I hope you all did too. 

Let's be optimistic and hope that 2022 is going to be a better year for us all.

Celia 

X

KT Miniatures

KT Miniatures Is Now Closed Until 4th January 2022

I know from emails received throughout the year, that many of you are encountering difficulties on so many levels and now on top of everything else, Covid is impacting once again in our lives in a profound way. Nevertheless, I hope that KT Miniatures has given you some inspiration and pleasure during these chaotic times of 2021, and let's hope optimistically that 2022 will be a better year for us all.

Dolls Houses Past & Present Magazine - Issue 34

Fab news...the December issue of Dolls Houses Past & Present magazine is now up and available for all to view freely!

It is wonderfully presented, literally crammed with a diverse range of topics, all related to miniatures and dolls houses in some way. Included on page 4 is the first part of my Story Of Bertha & Ralph Wright Plus Their Miniatures Revealed. Although the article of two parts has been featured on KT Miniatures Journal and archive for a while now, the editor Zoe Handy asked if it could be featured in their magazine too. It seemed apt for it to be so, as it was through my first article on Bertha & Ralph for DHP&P magazine back in 2016 that led to this second article. So if you have a moment (or two) please do click on the following link and enjoy reading all 16 pages of the magazine: https://www.dollshousespastandpresent.co.uk/Magazine/Issue-34-December-2021

And Finally...KT Miniatures Has Closed For 2 weeks

KT Miniatures is now closed for the festive season, I am taking a fortnight's break. It is my aim to open up once again on Tuesday 4th January, Covid permitting of course. May I take this opportunity to thank you for your custom and friendship throughout this year, and as my 25th year of trading comes to an end, I would just like to wish you all.... 

A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS

and a

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Celia

x

KT Miniatures

It May Be November, But How About A Spot Of Miniature Gardening?

Now that the weather has turned considerably colder (well here in the UK it has), how about a bit of  miniature gardening? Either alongside your old dolls house or as a stand alone miniature scene. 

1930s-1950s Britains Lead Garden

 Many of us who collect antique or vintage dolls houses do not bother about scale and just collect what we like even if it means mixing up different scale items to stand next to each other. Including these smaller 1/32 scale garden pieces, to use with our 1/16th, 1/12th or even larger scale dolls houses.  

Recently put up for sale on KT Miniatures is this antique Britains lead garden set. And at the time of writing this, it is still currently up for sale...as are all other items featured in this blog post. 

All the components that you see here are being sold as one complete set. 

So you can arrange the layout as you wish and have great fun in doing so. With so many components, you have a whole variety of options on layout. 

There are six grass squares and 26 lead crazy paving slabs. 

There are also these two lead corner flower beds and accompanying lead flowers as seen above. The flowers simply slot into the holes in the flower bed. 

Also included is a tiny lead lawnmower and lead sundial. 

The lawnmower has a removable grass box. 

There is one set of lead steps and two separate rockery pieces which can be arranged in various ways. 

The dog may not be Britains but I have included him with this garden. There are also two long balustrade walls and two balustrade corner posts. 

This little set is currently up for sale, please click on the following link for full details:

ktminiatures.com/project/c1930s-1950s-britains-lead-garden-set-89-00/

There are other lead garden bits by Britains as well as other manufacturers currently up for sale separately on KT Miniatures Garden Page...

Two Britains Lead Flower Pots & Plants

These are so tiny and would look fabulous in a dolls house. 

The flowers slot into the hole of each pot. Not sure what the plants are meant to be...possibly geraniums?

Three Britains Lead Sunflowers & Earth Mounds

There are three highly sought after sunflowers that each have a tiny mound of earth which they slot into. 

Hence, once slotted in place, each sunflower stands freely. These could look great standing in front or around the back of your dolls house. They are being sold as a set of three. 

Three Britains Lead Hens & Rabbit

These three Britains lead hens are little beauties and could look fab wandering around the outside of your dolls house. The lead rabbit is of unknown make but is also rather lovely. 

Vintage John Hill & Co. Lead Table

Although around 1/32 scale, this vintage John Hill & Co lead table could have a variety of uses within a dolls house, and not just the garden. 

The table has a lovely embossed patterned top, could possibly make a cool occasional table or even a stool in an old dolls house. 

All miniature animals up for sale on KT Miniatures can be found within the Garden Page...

Such as these antique Czech glass animal charms.....they are simply lovely! These specific ones are believed to date from around the 1920s/30s. 

Blue Glass Rabbit - fully intact with diamante eyes, and metal collar with bead. 

Turquoise Glass Dog - with both diamante eyes and metal colour - I think it is meant to be a pug dog?

Lucky Black Cat - missing one of his eyes but still has metal collar and bead. 

Everything above and lots more, can currently be found on the following page:

ktminiatures.com/garden/