NEWS
PRIVATE COLLECTION FOR SALE
A rare and exciting opportunity, to purchase this incredible 'Art Gallery' room box and it's contents from the private collection of Barbara Allum. Featuring work from some of finest Artisan, including Geoff Wannacottm, Barry Hipwell, Chris Sparrow, Christopher Whitford and the late John Hodgson, to name a few.
A COLLECTION TO BE RIVALED
Barbara Allum’s passion for miniatures has led her to curate an incredible collection over the past 30 years.
With several dolls houses and countless room boxes from Victorian Kitchens, Georgian Dining Rooms and even an Dickensian Crypt. Barbara’s imagination for creating these magical scenes, show-casing some of the finest miniatures from artisans all over the world has enabled her to collect some of the early pieces from artisans sadly no longer with us, these are now highly sought after.
FROM SMALL BEGINNINGS
Barbara and I met when I was just 17, I making some pieces to sell in my local dolls house shop and the owners of the shop had been speaking with Barbara, who at the time was working on a Gypsy caravan scene and wanted some folk style painted furniture made and couldn’t find what she was looking for. We were introduced in the hope I may be able to help and she kindly asked me to work on a commission piece for her. I very quickly realised, even at this young age the miniatures I had been looking at buying were a far cry from the exquisite hand made pieces she had been collecting. This level of perfection in miniature shaped how I then strived to create realistic and detailed miniatures worthy to sit along side some of the original masters in miniature.
Our mutual interest in miniatures has led to a twenty six year friendship, visiting Kensington Dolls House Festival together each year and making commission pieces for Barbara's collection.
At 80, Barbara and her husband Laurie downsized and her vast collection of room boxes and dolls houses were gifted to family and friends. Now at the incredible age of 97 Barbara has decided to re-home the last pieces of her collection, giving her the peace of mind the items she has collected over the years will be cherished by other miniature enthusiasts.
THE 'ART GALLERY' ROOM BOX
The ‘Art Gallery’ was a commission piece, collaboratively designed by Barbara herself and Alan Barnes from Tarbena Miniatures who created the room. An unusual corner design, this is one of a pair of complimenting corner room boxes. Barbara’s instruction for hidden spot lights to best show off the paintings shows her attention to the smallest detail when planning a scene. Completed in 2003, the room is designed with some many points of interest, from the galleried balcony to a glimpse of the corner staircase connecting the two floors.
Barbara collected some of the finest pieces to fill the room, beautifully made furniture from Geoffrey Wannacott, Barry Hipwell, John Hodgson and David Thorpe grace the room perfectly.
Her passion for collection original paintings not only in full scale but in miniature too, meant she commissioned all of the paintings within the gallery. Many in gilded frames by the late John Hodgson and paintings by Joy Stanley Rickets, Chris Sparrow & Christopher Whitford to name but a few.
The collection including the 'Art Gallery' room box, original miniature paintings & furniture will be on sale through ebay
from Friday 24th February. I will be posting videos including details on each piece on my Facebook and Instagram page, be sure to follow for more information.