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Here is the latest happenings in the mini world from my roombox to yours! Please be sure to sign up for my newsletter so you never miss an update. You'll be the first to know about my estate auctions, events, and Meet the Miniaturist podcasts on YouTube (like and subscribe!).




Fancy & Fabulous! Estate Auction


Bidding Ends Sunday, September 28 at 7 PM ET



Bidding ends Sunday, September 28 in my eBay Store for Part 1 of my Fancy & Fabulous estate sale. This sale features pieces from multiple estates, including my dear client from Japan. She is slowly downsizing after 50 years of curating an extensive collection of fine art and fanciful miniatures. One highlight is the dressed canopy bed shown above by an unknown maker (#swoon).




This auction includes over 50 lots. Notably, it features several lovely pastries, cakes, tarts, cupcakes, and other confectionary treats in small scale. These are some of the best I've seen (by an unknown maker)!



Enjoy shopping this latest sale, especially during the 7 PM hour on Sunday. Items from Part II of this auction will be posted!



Thank you for taking a look! I hope you find something you like!



Meet the Miniaturist: Kaye Browning


Replay Available!



The replay from my latest Meet the Miniaturist is now available. It features special guest Kaye Browning, curator of the Kathleen Savage Browning Miniatures Collection at the Kentucky Gateway Museum Center in Maysville, Kentucky.




Kaye has been collecting miniatures for over 50 years. She possesses one of the most extraordinary collections of fine art dollhouse miniatures in the world. Kaye is an immensely generous and supportive patron of the miniature arts. She commissions some of the most beautiful small fine-scale structures.




I had a great chat with Kaye. We discussed her new coffee table book, "Masters of Miniature: The KSB Collection." We also talked about the choices she made when putting it together and what she wants us to learn about the fine art miniatures world. This was wonderful! A big thank you to Kaye for joining and sharing her beautiful collection.




A Fancy & Fabulous! Estate Auction Continues


Sunday, September 28 at 7 PM ET



The Fancy & Fabulous estate auction (Part II) begins this Sunday, September 28. It features more wonderful pieces from my lovely client in Japan, who is looking to downsize her collection. She has been collecting for decades and has a keen eye for super interesting and beautifully crafted tiny treasures. Many of these were found or commissioned from artists locally, as well as from Europe and the United States.


Preview



In addition to a large assortment of sweets, cakes, and other fine-scale delectables, this auction includes dreamy furniture, glassware, toys, and several art dolls. #swoon



You can preview the sale before it goes live on Sunday. Take your time looking through the images. There are lots of detailed intricacies that make some of these pieces very special. Let me know what you think on any of my social channels or drop me a line here.





Thank you for taking a look!



Thinking of Downsizing Your Miniatures Collection?


Free Webinar Talk


Saturday, October 4 at 10 AM ET



Join me for a talk about how to best manage the sale of your adored dollhouse miniatures collection. If you're thinking about downsizing and getting it ready for sale (or donation) on your own behalf or on behalf of a friend or family member, this is for you. Here’s the link to register and join this free webinar!




Perhaps you are downsizing your assortment or looking to make room for more miniatures. Who knew little things take up so much space?! Maybe you want to ensure that your collection will be ushered into the best hands after you’ve moved on to a bigger and better mini world!



I'm excited to share my knowledge of the options you have for guiding your collections to a protected and cherished home. I will also answer as many of your questions as possible about the best ways to handle your adored treasures. See you there!




The (Not So) Tiny Bits...


Roomboxes & Miniatures at the Museum


Miniature Makers: The Art and Craft of Tiny Things opens at the Bandera Natural History and Art Museum near San Antonio, Texas. This exhibition features a curated selection of roomboxes and miniatures from the Frances Peterson Collection.




Style & Decor in Small Scale in Sweden



Swedish company Svenskt Tenn has recreated fabrics, wallpaper, and furnishings in 1:5 and 1:8 scale. This exhibition celebrates 100 years of design and runs through October 16 at the brand's flagship store in Stockholm.




Miniatures Unveiled at Bergdorf Goodman!



Jonathan Steadman of House of Mirth Miniatures unveils his custom-crafted English style dollhouse at Bergdorf Goodman in New York City. This event helps usher in the holiday season!




How to Build an Awesome Miniatures Collection!



I will be hosting my popular free live webinar on "How to Build an Awesome Miniatures Collection" on Thursday, October 9 at 7 PM ET. This session will help you step up your miniature collecting game!




Thank you for reading and for being such an important part of the D. Thomas Miniatures Community. Please be sure to follow me on all my social media channels HERE.


I'm absolutely thrilled to be hosting my latest estate sale happening right now featuring the collection of Sharon Kay Zanassi, a West Coast resident and former Marin County California Miniature Show producer who is looking to downsize after many years of collecting.


Ferd Sobol Hardwood Tea Cart with Decorative Inlay and Fold Down Top
Ferd Sobol Hardwood Tea Cart with Decorative Inlay and Fold Down Top

This is a very large assortment of tiny treasures (over 300 lots!) which will be sold in a series of 7 day auctions, currently underway in my eBay Store (be sure to save the store so you know where to shop! ) over the next several weeks and into early September, each starting and ending on a Sunday (except for Labor Day weekend). Each week-long auction will be filled with an assortment from artisan and high quality Furniture, Accessories, Food, Sterling Silver, Copper as well as Themed Lots (Ladies Boudoir, Gentleman Study, Asian-Inspired, Children's Room/Toy Shop and more). You can preview next week's assortment in the gallery below.


More than a dozen Ferd Sobel Pieces are Offered in this Sale
More than a dozen Ferd Sobel Pieces are Offered in this Sale

Through the years, as an active member of the miniatures community, Sharon has developed a GREAT eye for high-quality, exceptional and some of the most sought after artisan miniatures. The collection is highlighted by more than a dozen pieces by the iconic IGMA Fellow Ferd Sobol (Ferd Sobol Editions) including a Louis XIV desk, a complete dining set with 6 chairs and a dressed canopy bed with stunning wood inlay (#swoon!). Each piece is in excellent condition and shipped in their original custom miniature crates crafted by Mr. Sobol.


Lots containing Vintage Style Miniatures and Food are Featured in this Sale
Lots containing Vintage Style Miniatures and Food are Featured in this Sale

In addition to works by other iconic makers including Crawford, Acquisto and Albert, there are perhaps some lesser known, yet equally as talented makers featured in the sale including Zack Fox, Barry and Sharon Schmeltzle and Tom Martin. This collection is a very broad and varied assortment with many surprise miniatures along the way like the metal toaster (photo below) in its original package!


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Expect to bid on BIG mini categories like Food/Kitchen (bakery, pantry, tools, utensils), Pottery & Glassware (Graber, Stapleton, Benson), Vintage Style (Byers, Nantasy Fantasy, Ott) as well as Classic Bespaq. This is the kind of sale that helps you find that one piece (or several!) that you were always looking for!



Oh, and there will be multiple, ever-so-popular, themed lots (Gentleman's Study, Ladies Boudoir, Toy Shop, Asian-Inspired, Sewing Room) which are perfect to get you started on that roombox you've been thinking about doing, or to add to a current assortment ('cause we can never have enough of that one thing we love!).


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Preview of the miniatures which will be posted for sale on Sunday, August 10 at 7pm ET are here:

I hope you have as much fun shopping this sale as I have had putting it together. A BIG thank you to Ms. Zanazzi for curating a wonderful collection for us to enjoy!


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My upcoming estate sale features a number of extraordinary miniatures crafted by the masterful Ferd Sobol including this Louis XV desk below made of gorgeous hardwoods with inlay top, brass hardware and detailed embellishments. Details to follow as I begin to catalogue and prepare this sale for auction. This collection is from a former dollhouse miniature show producer on the West Coast who is looking to downsize her collection. Additional items in this sale are in the gallery below. Check back often as I add to the preview gallery in advance of the sale.

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I'm really looking forward to handling this estate and bringing these awesome miniatures to market and to new homes! #Swoon



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