Dolls House World Magazine Issue 361 Vorige editie

Years ago, when I was taking photos at the London Dollhouse Festival, I would always make sure to drop past the stand of Laurence and Angela St.Leger.
It was always fascinating to see what wonderful pieces they had conjured up out of their imagination. One year a strongman lifting weights, or a mouse pinching cheese from the trap. The next, an intricate shaving set or a padlock with a key. All of them, incredibly, fully working.
And unlike some other makers, who could be a bit grumpy about me taking away their pieces to photograph, aware of possible lost sales, Angela would always be welcoming with a big smile, only too happy to send me off with a box of their precious mini delights.
Laurence would even take time out from the stand to drop in on my makeshift studio under the stage at Kensington Town Hall, and help to arrange the delicate items with the aid of tiny tweezers. I didn’t have the heart to tell him that moments earlier I’d been clumsily handling them with my fingers.
More recently, the St.Legers secured their status as the world’s most talented couple working in miniatures when they came up with a fully-functioning Swiss Army knife to win the inaugural Perfection in Miniature Awards, and followed that up with a working gent’s umbrella.
We learned recently, with immense sadness, that Laurence had died. The miniature world has lost one of its giants. But we’re delighted that Angela will be continuing to conjure up some mini magic.