Laurence & Angela St Leger
Range of unusual items, inc. kitchen utensils, spectacles, working scissors, mechanical toys.
Laurence and Angela St Leger are the talented miniaturists and creators of some astounding hand-made working items. Things like sewing sets with working scissors, needle cases, threaded sewing needles; a minute working padlock and key that took two weeks to make; cutthroat razors in Mother of Pearl and Tortoise Shell substitute and Swiss Army knives with their array of useful tools. In particular the Swiss Army knife won the first ever Perfection in Miniature Award at the Kensington Festival.
The couple also bring a great deal of humour to the miniature scene with their wind-up automata miniatures. Take a look at their website for video clips which are bound to make you smile. There’s Doctor Gloucester riding his penny farthing; a skeleton on a boneshaker; a Biggles character in an old-fashioned propeller plane, an amorous vampire and many more witty collector’s pieces.
Angela said, “We both invent the automata and we think if it makes us laugh then let’s go ahead with it!”
Laurence and Angela started working in miniatures around 40 years ago after a request for some fire irons – and it grew from there. “Laurence was a watch repairer at the time and skilled in working with small things,” said Angela. “At the time digital watches became the thing and so watch repairs dropped off and he took up miniatures full time. I don’t have training in any of the arts or engineering, but Laurence is a good teacher! He mostly sorts out the mechanics but we both make, and most things are integrated and shared – ideas and work.”
The couple have lived in Dorset for the past 32 years after moving there from Dorking in Surrey. Their two sons are very proud and supportive of what mum and dad do, and their youngest son Henry keeps their website up and running. Their miniature work keeps them busy, but if they get any spare time Laurence might do a little fishing or they will be pottering around the house and garden.
They have shown at the Greg Madl Miniature Show in Chicago a couple of times, and also exhibit at the Spring Kensington Festival and Christmas Fair and Miniatura.
Angela added, “We still find it humbling when people like our work and we love to raise a smile after sitting in our garret for months producing work it’s great to get a response. We have some wonderful customers both old and new.”
