Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-04-24
FURNITURE IN A NUT.
The Most Unique Set of Working Mod
els in the World.

Mr. G. NJ. Sibbald of Leeds has made
what is undoubtedly the most unique
set of working models in the world
These wonderful miniatures, which are
fashioned in silver and gold, are made
to work and have been produced after
years of patient labor
That the models have attracted
more than ordinary attention may be
gagged from the fact that not many
before the king and a distinguished
party at Sandrigham The late Queen
Victoria was also much interested in
the models. They were exhibited, at
her special desire, at Windsor castle
There are twenty-six different sets
many OF these sets containing a dozen
or more separate pieces. AS already
stated, they are wrought in either
gold or silver and, wonderful as it
may seem, are all made by hand
without casting or aid of a glass
There is a miniature locomotive con
tanning 220 pieces. Although it is SC
small that you can place it in the
palm of your hand and close it with.
out the least Inconvenience, it is an
exact model in every particular Of a
fully equipped engine.
There are also a Lilliputian lawn
mower and two horizontal engines
There are no fewer than 284 pieces in
the former. The collection also com
priSeS a tea service and tray made
from two threepenny pieces. From
the same quantity of silver a toast
rack, cruet, jug, stand, and tray have
been evolved. Mention may also be
made of the three penny piece, in
which a hole has been bored sideways
right through it.
AS an instance of what can be made
from one threepenny piece, there is a
complete coffee service and tray, all
fashioned out of the smallest coin of
the realm, while out of three such
coins a tea service and tray have been
made. On one occasion Mr.. Sibbald
lost one of his spoons. and although
he searched Tor it with a powerful
electric light, failed to find it, Next
day he discovered the missing article
under his finger nail, where it had re-
manned all night.
The collection is exceedingly com
plete, almost every article in daily
use being included in it. There are
a gold and silver bicycle one and
three-fourths inches high. Each cycle
contains 102 pieces. There are also a
gold and silver tricycle., each machine
Boosting 343 pieces. There is an UNI
brella frame in forty-three pieces The
two carriages wrought in gold deserve
a passing reference. The largest,
which weighs seventeen grains, is
made of eighty-fve pieces. 1t could
easily be drawn by a fly. There are
guns and pistols SO small that you
could place a score of them in your
waistcoat pocket and not notice their
weight the smallest article, probably,
being lock and key, the weight of
which is under three-quarters of
grain. 1t is in twelve pieces.
When Mr.. Sibbald exhibits his
models he appropriately refers to the
display as ''the smallest show on
earth" Some of his items, which
boast Of quite number of pieces, are
kept in such curios and minute re-
ceptacles as nuts and cherrystones.
For instance, in one cherrystone there
are a tea service, two trays. and
,wenty-one spoons, and in another a
horizontal engine made of twenty-six