Miniatura

Phil Grenyer is a precision miniature glassblower, making exquisite household and decorative miniatures in glass, each piece individually handmade. Phil of Newcastle-upon-Tyne specialises in Cranberry glass and makes a host of lovely ornate items in 1/12^th scale including punchbowls with tiny punch cups, decanters, domed cake stands, soda syphons, demijohns, fluted vases, knickerbocker glory glasses – and much more.

Phil’s excellence in this specialised field of miniatures comes from his four-and-a-half year apprenticeship working as a glassblower in the laboratory and scientific glassware industry – where precision was paramount. Following his apprenticeship in Newcastle, he then worked in London and Switzerland where he extended his knowledge of glass, before returning to Newcastle.

Phil said: “I started work as an apprentice scientific glassblower making items such as test tubes, coils, condensers, flasks which would be used in laboratories. I worked in that industry until I was in my mid-20s. Then I was made redundant a couple of times, so I decided to work for myself.”

Phil set up a shop on the sea front with Ray Storey, who most visitors to Miniatura will know. Eventually, this successful partnership divided into their own specialised directions with Phil remaining with the more ornamental side of glass miniatures, particularly Cranberry styles of glassware.