GOOD NEWS FOR POSTING DOLLS HOUSES... OVERSEAS & IN UK!

Am thrilled to bits.....but first of all I must thank my lovely customer in Miami who, without her persistence and enthusiasm, this gem of a company would never have been found. I received a phone call from this intrepid lady a few days ago with the news that the two old dolls houses had arrived safe and sound, fully intact and that I could now breathe a huge massive sigh of relief...in fact she could as well....yay!!!!



Yay...time to celebrate indeed!

If you have followed KT Miniatures over the years, you will know that after some not nice experiences in shipping old dolls houses....I finally put a block on posting my houses outside the UK once and for all....to protect not just my own sanity but KT Miniatures' finances too....as insurance proved to be a joke.

However.....my lovely customer from the States came up with a proposition that if she could find a carrier who would come, pack the dolls houses themselves and deliver - taking away all responsibility and risk from me over packing and carriage......then would I consider selling her two dolls houses....... I found myself very nervously agreeing!

She found a brilliant company called Williams & Hill Forwarding Ltd. who I understand have an office in the States and UK. From the very beginning their service was incredible. Communication was excellent as James my UK contact regularly emailed and rang with updates.  My customer told me that the dolls houses arrived in a very large crate with a huge amount of packaging....so they had been well protected.

 I have to say that even the two gents that came to collect, handled these dolls houses with great care and I was very impressed. People who know me well will tell you that I am not easily impressed....in fact I can be incredibly pernickety!!! But impressed I certainly was. This company are used to dealing with high value antiques and works of art so they have to be expert at packing.

I know from communication received from overseas customers that it has been a source of irritation that I would not post big, fragile dolls houses outside of the UK-so hopefully now we have found a solution. However please remember that every single transaction will be different as all kinds of criteria will need to be considered including destination, size and weight, as well as whether it goes by air or sea.  But to have this now tried and tested service available for KT Miniatures' large and  fragile dolls houses, is to be celebrated!

So folks, if you are overseas and would like to purchase a dolls house (or two) from KT Miniatures then as long as you are willing to make your own arrangements with William & Harris Forwarding Ltd for collection, packing and delivery - this is now an option available to you.

 For UK Delivery

This same company will deliver within the UK too so for those of you who are not able to collect a big, old and extremely fragile dolls house in person from me here in Thame, Oxfordshire, this option could be available to you.

 If anyone would like more info about exploring the possibility of purchasing one of KT Miniatures dolls houses and using this delivery service, please don't hesitate to get in touch with me or visit their website: 

Williams & Hill Forwarding Ltd.

Booking Now Open For Our April 2013 Workshop At Waterperry Gardens

Following on from the last posting concerning our Nostalgia In Miniature Workshops....I know it sounds crazy talking about a workshop that is not taking place until 7th April 2013 but  am pleased to announce that we have just opened booking on our very special all day workshop, that is being held once more at the prestigious Waterperry Gardens in Oxfordshire. This exclusive workshop project is called....

UNDERNEATH THE OLD ARBOUR

 Think oodles of character, think old fashioned....think nostalgic!

It will be taking place in the classroom block at Waterperry Gardens in Oxfordshire. We will be making a vintage miniature scene to include an old arbour (of course) clothed in climbing plants, a wooden chair, stool and table with accessories. Simple landscaping can be enhanced by some individual touches....in our typical Nostalgia In Miniature Workshop style!! It will be great fun and an absolutely unique project, offered as always in both 1/12th and 1/24th scale. Suitable for beginners and the more experienced miniaturists alike.....you will be assured of a very warm welcome. We pride ourselves in that our workshops are friendly, informal and relaxed.

If you participated in one of our 2011/2012 projects from the "Little Garden Series" of workshops then this project will have a base of the same dimension as those and would complement them perfectly. However, even if you have never even been to one of our workshops before this project would also look amazing standing alone or butted up against a reproduction or even vintage dolls house.

For further details and a downloadable booking form, click on the following link:

 http://www.miniatureworkshops.com/Underneath_The_Old_Arbour_Workshop.html

Waterperry Gardens is an amazing venue in itself with wonderful gardens, garden centre, gallery, gift shop, old church, musuem etc......plus a lovely tea room. Well worth a visit in its own right.

Our Christmas Special Workshop!

At long last we can bring you a short video of the little project that we'll be making in our all day Christmas Special Workshop that is being held on Saturday 24th November at Thame in Oxfordshire.

WHEN FATHER PAPERED THE PARLOUR....THE WEEK BEFORE CHRISTMAS WORKSHOP!

You will need your speakers on to hear the song!

This is a unique miniature scene being offered in both 1/12th scale and 1/24th scale, as always. Included in the project is a scratch built Edwardian fireplace with mock tiles, old fashioned kitchen table, pasting bucket, brush, an old crate for father to stand on in order to reach the top bits and a Reckitt's Blue crate with old Christmas decorations spilling out. Attendees will be making their own wallpaper too, be shown a very different way of creating mock floorboards and a few more bits besides.......will be great fun to do!

We can squeeze up to 4 more people in if necessary but you will need to contact either me or Robin asap.  Please click on following link for full details including a downloadable booking form.

http://www.miniatureworkshops.com/When_Father_Papered_The_Parlour_%20The_Week_Before_Christmas_Workshop.html

Some Rather Lovely Dol-Toi Dolls House Miniatures!

Listing has begun of Marion Osborne's Dol-Toi Collection (see previous post). 

These lovely items seen in the photo above went up for sale over the weekend....some have already been sold....sorry. I meant to put a posting on here before now but you know how it is.....there are not enough hours in the day sometimes!!

 

The gorgeous lamp, candlestick, fish bowl and jug/tumbler from this photo of glassware have already been  listed and sold over the weekend however the other items will be gradually listed over the next couple of days.

 

This amazing glass syphon with inner glass tube inside plus this pretty jug with green handle, are now available.

 

 

These above are about to go up for sale over  the next couple of days too....some are already listed such as these rare food cards.

 

 

Marion's collection amassed over many years is massive and I've never seen so many variations of pianos, chairs, cookers, etc......all in one place. and am overwhelmed with them all....(I'm afraid I have reverted back to my childhood and just couldn't resist opening doors, pulling out drawers and frying eggs on the 1940s cooker-you know how it is)! This very serious art of playing takes time you know and helps in one's social, emotional, intellectual and physical development!! Hahaha...sorry, my nursery nursing training of over 30 years ago just popped up to the surface there......I digress.

 

In realistic terms....I simply cannot put up for sale 15 diffent pianos, 20 different cookers, 30 different wardrobes etc. all at the same time, so have decided to randomly choose a mixed bag of items every so often to list. Some will be rare, some not so rare.  I hope to highlight some of the more unusual items on this Journal from time to time. Obviously I do have other items for other antique and vintage sections to list too. To view the Vintage 1/16th Dol-Toi page, please click on the following link:

http://www.ktminiatures.com/Dol-Toi.html

 

 

NEWS FOR MY OVERSEAS CUSTOMERS

Ok....it is holding my breath and keeping fingers  & everything else crossed time.

A lovely intrepid lady from the US who fell in love with two of my dolls houses, has spent a considerable amount of time (and money) in finding a suitable carrier who would ship out to the US. I have had such terrible problems in the past shipping dolls houses overseas that I took the decision a long while ago to put a complete stop on KT Miniatures shipping these large and fragile beauties outside of the UK. My nerves couldn't stand it - or my bank account - insurance was a joke!  If this courier does a good job (they have offices in UK & USA) then this could offer an opportunity for those of you who wish to ship a dolls house (or two) overseas. They are expensive but if they do the job well then surely it is worth it. I would be fibbing if I said that I did not feel a tad nervous as their van pulled out of my driveway this morning with two houses inside. So we shall see.

So watch this space...........I will let you know.

 

 

Rare Dol-Toi Bungalow c1966-1968...and The Marion Osborne Dol-Toi Collection!

Once in a while, I have the task of selling an occasional small collection of vintage dolls house items; however it is not often I have a vast collection to sell, including quite rare items!! But yep folks, that is just what I have here.....and how very exciting it all is too!!!

 

Marion Osborne has been collecting Dol-Toi dolls house furniture and accessories for literally years and years, all in the quest for research which culminated in her wonderful reference book, The Book Of Dol-Toi Dolls House Furniture & Accessories.

 

As the book is now written, the vast collection is beginning to gather dust and is all surplus to Marion's requirements.  I feel very privileged although a little overwhelmed, to have been given the task to sell Marion's items on her behalf. Am not kidding folks.....there are boxes and boxes of wonderful little treasures here. It is going to take a while for me to sort out into some kind of order and begin listing but in readiness, all original KT Miniatures Dol-Toi stock (which did not amount much) have been taken off  KT Miniatures  Vintage Dol-Toi Page . Very shortly,  I hope to begin listing all sorts of Marion's pieces on there, as and when I can. So please do keep looking....I will highlight the first batch on KT Miniatures Journal when the listing has gone live.

 

However, the very first item of the collection is now available for purchase........

 

VERY RARE circa1966-1968 DOL-TOI BUNGALOW



Image Of Old Advert- Courtesy Of Marion Osborne's "The Book Of Dol-Toi"

 In all my 16 years of trading, I have never handled one of these....needless to say, they are quite rare.

It is very simple in construction, made entirely from wood, consisting of three rooms with a hinged opening flat roof.  

There is a front flocked "forecourt for garden furniture"....so it is described in an old advert. This is quite a nice feature and gives extra scope for display for the collector.

 

Red striped material attached to a metal rod with hooked ends, slots into each window edge. Each window has green fixed shutters.

Front View With The Blinds Down

So there you have it.....a simple but rare and attractive little dolls house, quite evocative of the 1960s......a fantastic addition to any serious vintage dolls house collection.

To view full listing, click on the following link:

http://www.ktminiatures.com/Dol-Toi_Bungalow.html