Meet the Miniature Collector: Tina Arendell | Downsizing from Detroit!
- Darren Scala
- Oct 9
- 4 min read
Tina Arendell has been in love with and collecting dollhouse miniatures for many years but is now looking for find good homes for her treasures. Here, in her own words, we learn more about how she was inspired and how she found many of her pieces. The auction of Bidding on Arendell's treasures ends on Sunday, Octrober 12 in the D. Thomas Miniatures eBay store here.
"I first fell in love with miniatures when Detroit public school teachers were brave enough to take second graders to the Detroit Historical Museum. Displayed in a case on a stairwell landing was a dollhouse that captivated me. While the other kids were looking at the full scale Street of Shops half a staircase below me, I stared at the dollhouse. That Christmas I was given (by Santa) a metal dollhouse with plastic furniture. I played endlessly with it."
"As I grew older, I left minis behind until I was looking for a child's gift and stopped at a local toy store. They also had miniatures, which reignited my interest and I had to buy a tiny bottle of Brer Rabbit molasses. I have no idea why, I just had to have it."
That led to my discovery of real miniature stores. At that time, there were a number of really good brick and mortar stores in the Detroit area, all with an excellent selection and variety of minis. I also loved workshops and learned so much from a range of artists.
"Over the years I have found myself focusing more on 144th scale and have decided it's time to let others have the delight of finding tiny, beautiful treasures that I hope will bring the same joy to their new owners that they brought to me."
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.
