Masters of Miniature

In the 16th century, Northern Europeans embraced their own interpretation: the Baby House. These fanciful multi-roomed cabinets, designed with architectural details and painstakingly crafted furnishings, bore price tags that often rivaled the cost of the homes in which they were showcased.

The arrival of miniatures to America occurred in the late 1800s in the form of small-scale steam locomotives. Modern utilizations of the craft include aeronautic and automotive engineering, set design for movies and plays, and crime-solving.

Throughout history miniature artisans have pursued a specialized art unique and distinct from all others that entered the broadening world of art as a new genre. Miniatures have been present for millennia, driving these craftspeople to perfect their art today using the same materials and highly specialized techniques of the masters who preceded them. Collectors worldwide seek out and commission these dedicated and skilled artisans to craft museum-quality miniatures.

The Kathleen Savage Browning Miniatures Collection has been a five-decades-long labor of love that has led Kaye Browning on journeys around the globe and into the studios of the finest miniaturists in the field. Kaye is the driving creative force behind the idea that miniature vignettes, room boxes, and structures, historical or whimsical, are spaces of emotion, imagination, and perfection. Kaye’s personal collection, which she shares with her hometown of Maysville, Kentucky, and the world is a testament to her passion for collecting 1/12- scale creations. It encompasses homes, fine objects d’art, decorative arts, furnishings, clothing, functional items, and character dolls, each carefully selected for its beauty, craftsmanship, and historical significance.

Kaye reveals the mesmerizing world of miniatures through her book Masters of Miniature, which serves as both a celebration and guided tour of her gallery-home to one of the most extensive collections of miniatures in the world.