BACK TO ARCHIVE   ENGLISH MINIATURE CHINA   Page 3   Karen is a Fellow in the International Guild of Miniature Artisans. She and Peter love travelling and frequently mix business with pleasure by exhibiting their work abroad. They particularly enjoy the U.S. miniatures shows because they find attendees have such a strong interest in English china. Karen points out, however, that the miniatures business is really an international one. "The dollhouse scale is common to every country," Karen says, "and as a result we actually export to more than 25 countries." MINIATURE CHINA from S & G Antiques Royal Crown Derby is one of the few original English china factories still producing miniatures, although even now they work to a scale intended for display rather than dollhouse use. In their new miniature collection, Royal Crown Derby has scaled-down replicas of household and garden utensils, all decorated in a rich Imari pattern chosen from the factory archives. They also currently manufacture tea sets in both the Old Imari and traditional Posie patterns. Their tea sets comprise a teacup and saucer, tea pot, creamer, sugar bowl and tray; a set retails for approximately £140 ($222). All Royal Crown Derby miniatures are available by mail order from Govier's of Sidmouth in Devon. Govier's also offers a Royal Worcester miniature tea set for display at around £1,705 ($2,710). This tea set, definitely expensive, is decorated by hand with fruit painted both on the inside and outside. Because Royal Worcester is patriotic, the china is decorated only with English-grown fruit -, apples, pears and cherries, but no pineapples or other exotic varieties. Each piece of china is individually signed by the senior artist at Royal Worcester. With antiques dealers like Gary Sirett selling original "toy" china, Royal Crown Derby and Royal Worcester still producing miniatures for display and Stokesay Ware making dollhouse scale china inspired by the rich history of the 18th and 19th century china manufacturers - it is not an exaggeration to say that English miniature china is still alive and well. Best of all, it is also available to American collectors. SUZY BENDER is a British freelance writer. Her article, 'Silver Dollhouse Furniture from England" appeared in the December 1997 issue of this magazine. Inquiries about this article can be directed to Suzy Bender, 17 St. Marys Ave., London N3 I SN, England. Enclose an International Reply Coupon - available at your post office - with a long self- addressed envelope with your inquiry.   ROYAL CROWN DERBY Posie Giftware miniature tea sets are larger than doll- house scale and intended primarily for display in china collection cabinets.     1 :: 2 :: 3         HOME :: FINE CHINA :: GALLERY PRICE LIST :: ORDER :: EVENTS :: PROJECTS LINKS :: ARCHIVE         STOKESAY WARE 37 Sandbrook Road, Stoke Newington London N16 0SH, UK Telephone 020 7254 5242 International +44 20 7254 5242 email peter@stokesayware.com         Content, design & graphics copyright © Karen Griffiths 2000