barry hipwell and ursula dyrbye-skovsted dolls house furniture and birdcages

Barry Hipwell – Maker Of Fine Miniature Furniture

Barry Hipwell was a tinsmith, stage-set builder, designer silversmith, display and architectural model maker and dealer in books and prints etc before turning to miniatures.

He now specialises in marquetry and parquetry-decorated dolls house furniture at one-twelfth scale. He has recently moved from 16th and 17th century Dutch and English floral marquetry cabinets to trompel’oeil marquetry rooms based on Italian Renaissance originals. Many of his pieces are in museums across Europe and America.

Barry regularly teaches miniaturists in England, Denmark, Holland, France, Germany and America as he enjoys seeing other people increase their skills. He likes to travel, so will go anywhere if asked.

Ursula Dyrbye-Skovsted

Ursula lives in Copenhagen, where she was a teacher for eleven years before going back to college to become a cabinet maker (full size!) and furniture restorer. In 1998 she gained the Danish Miniaturist of the Year title with her “Marios Dyrhandel” (Mario’s Pet Shop.) She is best known for her fine wire birdcages.

She also teaches, often alongside Barry, in Europe and America and would also go anywhere if asked.

Barry and Ursula have exhibited together in Europe and America for the last six years. Recently they have collaborated on projects such as the Gubbio Studiolo, commissioned for and on display at the Kansas City Museum of Miniatures. It is a reasonably faithful copy of the 15th century Italian original now in the Metropolitan Museum, New York. They also made a trompe l’oeil vignette that was displayed in Chicago in April 2005. They hope to return to Chicago in 2006 with some equally eye-catching work.

Barry can be contacted at 123 Park Road, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE11 2HD. UK.

Telephone:- ++44 (0)1509 215619

Ursula’s contact details are: Valdemarsgade 37 (5st Tv,) 1665 CopenhagenV, Denmark.

Telephone:- ++45 33 25 3 62

Email:- auvds@worldonline.dk