It began, innocently enough, with a miniature model of a grand staircase bought over the internet by the director of Gallery 19. This staircase was placed in the window and sold immediately. The staircase arrived from New York yet the Dutcxh company who manufactured the model seemed to have an office in the UK. Enquires were made and a catalogue ordered through which we gained access to the wonderful world of architectural models.
Architects over the centuries have made models to check details in 3D and help clients understand dimensional perspectives just as set designers built models to realize – in miniature – how a particular stage production was going to look. Architectural models are an obvious extension to an architectural art gallery like Gallery 19 and we are now proud to stock a selection of staircase models - Grand, Spiral, Lighthouse and Mission - as well as handmade reproduction models after Renaissance originals such as the antique Bell Tower, a Dome and a Demi-Dome. All models are handmade and contain handcarved details. The cherry and birch woods are stained shades of light and dark honey and have a French distressed finish. These models make spectacular conversation pieces but can also be placed in quirky corners making a feature out of dead-space.
Gallery 19 also stocks a selection of authentic reproduction globes to compliment its growing map collection. Centuries ago globes were made by gluing copperplate printed gores on a plaster finished papier-mâché core. The complicated gravure printing process has been replicated resulting in the sharpest lines, words and symbols even on the smallest size globe. All globes are made using original charts, reserched for their historical accuracy and visual appeal as well as highlighting some of the world's most famous cartographers: Mercator, Hondius and Vaugondy.
Another new addition to the gallery is the selection of classic obelisks from the Grand Tour era. Gallery 19 used to source beautiful marbelized obelisks from Florence but when our supplier disappeared the gallery decided to keep the few remaining obelisks it had – always on display, never for sale. Gallery 19 is overjoyed to have found these hand-turned wooden obelisks which we can display and sell.
It was a serendipitous chain of events which resulted in the newest additions to the Gallery 19 collection. As with anything that was meant to be, the models are what was always missing from the gallery but, already, it's as if they've always been here. Hope you love them as much as we do. See you soon.
