at whichever industry one looks these
days there are signs in varying degrees
of mass production methods replacing the
individual skills of the true craftsman
yet no matter how brilliantly complex a
machine nothing can equal the artistry
in man's dexterous fingers for this
reason we visit a cabinet makers in
Harold Hill Essex where Hepplewhite
Sheraton and Queen Anne furniture are
reproduced in all their grandeur but in
miniature by a team of craftsmen under
the direction of sessle's plan let's
watch now as the wood carver interprets
the scaled-down measurements he's been
given in the form of intricate artwork
wood carving is a dying art in this
country and it's hopes of survival
depend in most cases on individual
families Jack Cryer for example
represents the third generation of wood
carvers in his family
the miniatures are to a scale of 1/8 the
original size
yet this Georgian sideboard has nearly
100 separate pieces and has taken nearly
250 man-hours to create
apart from the time spent on making the
hand-worked locks and handles items like
this are part of a collection which is
constantly on exhibition in different
parts of the country everything is
authentic to the minutest detail even
the tea service in miniature crown Dobby
at normal size this type of period
furniture is expensive enough but the
miniatures which are only for exhibition
are practically priceless although
they're insured for a mere six thousand
pounds and with exquisite workmanship
like this it's small wonder the only
minor parts not produced by the
craftsman at this factory are pieces
that require special techniques like the
tiny locks and hinges the cupboards and
side boards which were made in
Switzerland and handles for the chest of
drawers which were made by a watchmaker
when it takes six weeks to make one tiny
chair you can be sure it's not only a
masterpiece but something to give that
often forgotten man the craftsman true
satisfaction