12th Doll House kitchen range & cookware by artisan, Rosalind Mercy

  

Metal range with hood and back plates with hanging racks. Copper kettle with hollow spout and removable lid, 2 copper saucepans. All made by Rosalind, a skilled metal smith and ceramicist. An English craftswoman and artisan maker, Rosalind Mercy started to create Dolls House miniatures and miniature porcelain in the late 1970's. Her reputation for exquisite porcelain at 12th, 16th and even 24th scale reached serious collectors around the world.

Her slip cast, hand-finished and press moulded items were inspired by her own love of china she found in junk shops. Rarely making the exact same piece twice her teapots, for example were glazed inside and out, had hollow spouts (too small for water) and removable lids. Her process was to cast and model each piece in porcelain clay. Items were then fired, glazed, fired, first decoration, fired second decoration - often with gold and lustre details and finally fired for the last time. With a loss of pieces at each stage from mishap or not reaching Rosalind's exacting standards the quality of each piece is exceptional.

Alongside the porcelain Rosalind has made earthenware and terracotta ware, metal work, furniture, fixtures and fittings many of which have been used to dress her extraordinary "Root Dwellings". A search on youtube for whitehurst chainhurst will give you a glimpse into Rosalind's creative life. Rosalind retired from making, over 10 years ago and a decision to declutter has revealed a treasure trove of pieces.