ROYAL RESIDENCE IN MINIATURE

THE ROYAL RESIDENCE IN MINIATURE IS A 16th CENTURY STYLE DOLL'S HOUSE MADE WITH GOLD, CRYSTAL, SILVER AND WOOD FITTINGS. WHEN ONE LOOKS CLOSELY THIS AMAZING PALACE TRULY LOOKS FIT FOR A KING, BUT THE INCREDIBLE STRUCTURE IS ONLY 42 INCHES HIGH AND HAS BEEN PAINSTAKINGLY PUT TOGETHER BY PROFESSIONAL DOLL HOUSE MAKERS. THE AWE-INSPIRING MINIATURE SCALE OF THE STUNNING RESIDENCE IS MADE OF CLEAR BY LIFE-SIZE SPECTACLES, BOOKS, FOUNTAIN PENS AND EVEN A BOTTLE OF COFFEE LIQUEUR. MATCHES IN ONE OF THE HOME'S FIRE PLACES AND A POT OF MUSTARD ALSO GIVES ONLOOKERS A SENSE OF PERSPECTIVE. 'CHATEAU ANTOINETTE' ASTONISHINGLY REFLECTS THE LAVISH LIFE OF HISTORIC FRENCH ROYALTY. IT FEATURES FIXTURES AND FURNISHINGS MADE OF REAL CRYSTAL, GOLD, LUXURY WOODS, SOLID STERLING SILVER AND GENUINE TINY OIL PAINTINGS CRAFTED BY REAL ARTISTS. BRITISH COUPLE KEVIN MULVANY AND SUSIE ROGERS, OF MULVANY AND ROGERS, ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MOST OF THE EXPENSIVE DOLL HOUSES EVER MADE. THEY ARE FAMED FOR THEIR ONE-TWELFTH SCALE RECREATIONS OF EXISTING STATELY HOMES AND CASTLES, WHICH THEY BUILD IN THEIR HOUSE IN HOLT, WILTSHIRE. BUT FOR THEIR LATEST SPECTACULAR PROJECT, FOR A CALIFORNIAN COLLECTOR PASSIONATE ABOUT MARIE ANTOINETTE, THEY FUSED PLACES LINKED WITH THE INFAMOUS FEMALE MONARCH WHO WAS EXECUTED DURING THE FRENCH REVOLUTION IN 1793. INCLUDED IN THE MIX ARE VERSAILLES PALACE, THE CHATEAU DE BAGATELLE AND THE PALACE OF FONTAINBLEAU. BETWEEN SUSIE, KEVIN AND TEN OTHER MODELERS WORKING ON THE HOME'S DETAILED FEATURES, CHATEAU ANTOINETTE HAS BEEN PAINSTAKINGLY PUT TOGETHER OVER 10,000 MAN HOURS. THE CHANDELIERS COST OVER £1,000 EACH WHILE £200 WAS SPENT ON GOLD GILT AROUND THE DADO RAILS AND WALL BORDERS.


THROUGH THEIR 25 YEARS OF MAKING MINIATURES. MASTER MODELERS SUSIE AND KEVIN HAVE
TRAVELED THOUSANDS OF MILES VISITING THE PLACES THE REBUILD IN REDUCED SIZE. FULLY DEDICATED TO GETTING EVERYTHING PERFECT, THEY EVEN PUT REAL DUST IN THE CORNERS, REAL SOOT IN THE FIREPLACE AND LEAVE WAXY CANDLES BURNING TO MAKE THEIR MODELS SMELL THE SAME AS THE REAL THING. USING ESSENTIAL OILS THEY CAN CREATE ODORS EXACTLY LIKE THE ONES THEY EXPERIENCE WHILE VISITING THE REAL VENUES THEMSELVES. AND THEIR QUEST FOR ACCURACY FOR THE MODEL-MAKERS SPARED NO EXPENSE IN PRODUCING THE SIX ROOM MASTERPIECE. THE HOME'S TEENY OIL PAINTINGS WERE CREATED NY REAL ARTISTS AND COST AS MUCH AS LIFE-SIZED ARTWORK, RUNNING INTO THE THOUSANDS. HIGHLIGHTS IN THE AMAZING HOME INCLUDE A DINING TABLE MADE FROM MAHOGANY LAID WITH STERLING SLIVER CUTLERY CASED ON A REAL 16th CENTURY SET. THE DINNER FORKS MEASURE 16mm LONG WHILE THE SHORTER DESERT FORKS ARE JUST 12mm. ALSO ON THE TABLES ARE HAND-PAINTED PORCELAIN SEVRES PLATES AND REAL GLASS GOBLETS. A YEAR IN THE MAKING, THE HOME IS LIT BY MINUSCULE 'GRAIN OF WHEAT BULBS' TO GIVE THE EFFECT OF CANDLE LIGHTING TRUE TO THE ERA THE HOUSE REPRESENTS.