Mini treasures from the Arnhem DHN show

Hello my friends,

Long time no post. Almost two months! I've been busy with work. Chores around the house. A two week holiday to Germany and catching the last of the summers 'flu'.... keeping me bedridden for almost a week!

A good and rich life perhaps but I was starved for mini time. This (unvoluntary) miniature diet is probably the reason why I splashed out more on miniatures than I normally do in Arnhem this year. This highpoint of the Dutch miniature calendar was held on the 7th and  8th of october. So I am already three weeks late with sharing with you my bounty of that day. But, better late than never. I also spent some time here and there on miniatures and have a few posts for you the coming weeks. So stay tuned!

It was a delightful show with many well known and loved makers and sellers. But a lot of new miniaturists from abroad too! This hobby is still going strong in my view. 

I bought a lot more than I planned to, but that is probably due to not having been able to spend time on my favorite hobby. For a start I bought this silver bread basket made by the renowned Jens Torp. Next to it are a silver necklace and earrings with grey pearls made by Sun Lemmens of Nalladris. It goes without saying that these jewels will find a place in the dressing room of Belle.

Next are these "Zotjes". Whimsical Delftware statuettes of boys riding crocodiles. (Yes, in the 17th century exotism was more important than accuracy.) Henny Staring Egberts copied these from a pair she found in a museum. They will look great on a mantelpiece. Next to them you see a woven fruit basket with a porcelain plate in the bottom. I already have one which is a collaboration between Ilona Kraasenberg and Henny Staring-Egberts. This one is made by Will Werson who is famous for her wickerwork. To the left of the tableleg you see a wooden bucket, painted in the traditional 'Hindenloopen' style by WMS. Hindeloopen is type of folk art in and around the town of that same name that is popular to this day. The ground colour is a bright dark green but with the dark and rainy weather the camera did not pick that up. So the photo does not do the delicate paintwork justice. 

Of the talented Yosh Sagi I bought this delightfull little gueridon, or ocasional  table made of walnut wood.  It looks very much like a table my parents have in their house, that gives it an added value for me. On this table you see a porcelain cherub holding up a garland. This is a piece made by Victoria Heredia Guerbos. The Asian teapot is made by Elisabeth Causeret. I bought more of her stuff, but that will follow further on in this post.

I have already three figurines made by her, You can see them in this picture with the birds. I love them. I want to collect some more of these and use them to decorate the center of the future diningroom table. 

This next picture shows a lot of mini pottery made by the talented Elisabeth Causeret. This was her final visit to the show in Arnhem. She has retired from miniature making so this was my last chance to buy some of her wonderful work. It is hard to name a favorite but if I must the lttle asian teapot of yellow clay would by my favorite! but they are all lovely and well made. 

I also bought this pewter mini censer. It is the first mini that is intended to go into the chapel I will eventually make. I will polish it soon to bring out it's beauty. I do not know if it is really old or not but I like the elegant design very much. Next to it are two small silver pillboxes. These really are antiques. I dod not buy these in the DHn show but I did buy them in the same week. The small one will go into the dressingroom (a jewelry box perhaps) the large one shouts out LOUIS XVI (style) to me. It will probably end up in the diningroom...

Last but not least are these laboratory glass items. They are made by the late Leo Reijnders. One of the last occasions to buy his pretty miniatures. Carel Polyander dabbles in chemistry as one of his many gentlemanly scientific pursuits. This glassware is a nescessity to this aim. I especially love the few amber coloured pieces.

I also bought the portrait a water colour of an 18th century gentleman in a robe. But that is not yet in my possesion. It is painted by Jaap Wijtenburg but I will show it to you when I have it. Oh and there was so much more I would like to have bought, but that would really be unwise. Hopefully next year... then there is another show and another chance.

Well, that's it for now. Take care!

Huibrecht