Toy and Miniature Museum in Kansas City

Acrylic and nut turnings by Marais Amshoff at the Toy & Miniature Museum in Kansas City

We just got back from Kansas City, and had a great time visiting with my brother and his family. We all had a ball on our little excursions around town, and our kids had some phenomenal moments with their two sweet cousins and some extended family (including the family dogs).

One of the highlights of the trip was a visit to the Toy & Miniature Museum of Kansas City. Jamie Berry, the Director, graciously allowed me and my brother in early for a tour and the opportunity to take photos and learn more about this truly amazing collection from her dedicated and enthusiastic staff. This place is a gem, and I have a feeling that many folks do not even know the treasures that exist in this museum, which is situated in a lovely house on the University of Missouri-Kansas City campus. Founded in 1982 by two collectors, the Mary Harris Francis and Barbara Marshall, the museum is a testament to their love of collecting, and also highlights the talent of today's miniature artisans, as many of the works on display are custom pieces that date from the last 50 years. The collection is displayed in 33,000 square feet of gallery space and is installed in some thematic groupings, but is mainly laid out for maximum enjoyment, meandering, and of course, long, open-mouthed gazing.

I was in awe of the works and houses...I could not believe the quality and level of craftsmanship. Fair warning: my photos are not that great and they do not do the museum nor the collections justice! Many of the dramatically-lit displays are recessed in the walls behind plexi, so this does not make for great beauty shots. Please go visit the museum yourself if you can; it is definitely worth a few hours (or more) of your time.

I share some photos here, and created a Flickr album with many more -- check it out.

While there were not a lot of modern or midcentury miniatures on display, there were many things that caught my eye:

Some Vitra chairs near the front entrance

Guitars!

Lovely modern seating

One of my favorite rooms - a Deco delight!

Look at the gorgeous bath off the living area

An Art Nouveau-style vanity to die for...

A Macintosh chair and custom vases

Fifties kitchen furnishings

A violin in the making by Ken Manning

A dramatic "how-to" by miniaturist Bob Robertson

Working clock and tea set by Frank Matter:

Rows and rows of wood turnings and vessel creations in glass, ebony, and other materials:

A Frank Lloyd Wright interior, modeled on an actual private residence

Smaller scale wonders:

And a lovely silhouette picture

This does not even scratch the surface of the museum, which, you may have noticed, has "Toy" in its name. If I haven't tempted you to go already, upstairs from the miniatures one of the world's largest collection of marbles awaits, as well as an extensive selection of vintage and more contemporary toys and special exhibits, from Barbie to Star Wars:

Should you go to the museum in the future, please share your impressions. I hope to get back there myself soon!

Well, Hello, Mr. MacAlister!

A number of lovely, one-of-a-kind, midcentury modern 1:12 scale furniture pieces by acclaimed designer Paul MacAlister--one of the first to bring "how to" interior design to the masses via his landmark Chicago TV show--were on eBay over the past month, along with some 1:24 sets. Bidding was passionate and fierce, and prices were high, with some sets exceeding $250!

While it was disappointing to have so many sets slip through my fingers and out of my reach, it was interesting to see this level of activity on these pieces, and of course it was great to have a look at this amazing treasure trove of modern miniature design history. The intense interest in MacAlister and his work is certainly a testament to the modern side of the hobby, and makes me wonder that there are a fair amount of mini-lovin' folks out there (beyond the ones I know and love!) who dig this aesthetic. Megan of Modern Mini Houses did a few posts on all of the activity, along with a wonderful archive of photos -- check out her blog out for more information and detail. Also, Glenna of BJD maker DollStories managed to get her hands on a number of sets, and just started a new blog to showcase all the loveliness called Lumimini. Have a look!

I was quite fortunate to get my own set, pictured above, as well as one additional piece that has not arrived yet. I mentioned earlier that there were some 1:24 sets as well, put up by another eBay seller, and I did manage to get one of those. The prices did not go as high there, likely due to the smaller scale. I hope to share these other pieces soon!

First, some detail shots of my new furniture set, an orange painted wood sectional couch set and coffee table. While the couch pieces do not have the appearance of wood, they are indeed just that, and skillfully painted with flecks to appear as fabric. I was surprised at the fine spikiness of the legs, very cool and sleek.

The craftsmanship overall is very fine, especially the coffee table, which is made of dark walnut. Truly stunning.

You will see that each of the couches is labeled "A1, A2, A3," I assume for proper configuration.

I wanted to give my new MacAlisters a test drive in my midcentury modern bungalow. While the house is in very good condition, it did not come with one of the walls that separates the kitchen from the bedroom. I had some foam core lying around, and was inspired to use some new wallpaper received in my swap with The Shopping Sherpa. It's a lovely minimal textured stripe, and worked quite well!

 

If there are others who are also proud owners of any MacAlister sets, PLEASE SHARE THEM!

Credits: Sectional couch and coffee table by Paul MacAlister; rug is a fabric sample; pillows are by Annina; lamp is vintage Lundby; artwork is vintage German; moss pot (I added the moss) and newspapers are from Manor House Miniatures; moss pot stand is an AMAC box; brass pot on table is an eBay find.