I came to the city of Cincinnati for the National Association of Miniature Enthusiasts convention this week. I’d never been. I’d rented a penthouse apartment airb&b in an old Art Deco piano factory that’s a little haunted. There are unexplained noises in the middle of the night, the tv turns onto a piano music screensaver at all times, I leave out a sugar in the raw packet for my morning coffee and it goes missing. I have a crush on this haunted little 1902 sewing machine complete with original instructions, sewing supplies, a note tucked in a drawer with “last needle used” attached.
It’s a city with impeccable Art Deco architecture yet no pretense. You eat famous chili dogs at a spot where they don’t give forks at the table, you get a takeout soda cup and if asked for salt and pepper you get takeout packets. Move it along, tourist. Most people might not be taking photos of grotesques on high-style 1920s buildings like me, but I don’t care. They have banana chip ice cream at the ice cream joint next to the iconic fountain park, where I’m obsessed with bronze deco dolphins, shells and grandeur.
It’s my first time at the miniatures convention and I’m the state rep from Delaware (where my club is, though I live in Maryland near “the border”). Miniatures are a serious industry, and this national nonprofit draws enthusiasts from all over the country and overseas to celebrate their passion, hobby, and/or profession. There are sales, auctions, giveaways, raffles, field trips, classes, educational events, swaps, yard sales, and so much more that it’s difficult to convey and a “tiny” bit overwhelming.
Organizers work in an orchestrated ballet of synchronized energy and efficiency, creating and producing a week-long experience for people who arrive at different days and times to simultaneous sessions occurring each day and night as miniatures are created, traded, sold and bartered. New friendships are formed as old ones are rekindled. Although miniaturists’ ages have perhaps skewed older in the past, there’s a new generation of mini lovers coming up thanks to social media, and they’re here to learn and collect. There’s a hospitality room (my personal fave) where you can “make and take” a variety of crafts centered around the convention theme “It’s a Small World,” take free copies of past issues of magazines dedicated to miniaturists, free mini kits and supplies, do a puzzle or color, and get away from the crowds to spend camaraderie time with friends.
There’s a garage sale room where thousands of items have been donated to raise funds for the organization. There are workshops and meetings, silent auctions and luncheons with educational sessions, and an exhibit space where you can see the work of talented artisans. I enjoyed a field trip to Kentucky Gateway Museum to hear the lecture of Kaye Savage Browning, curator of one of the best private miniature collections in the United States. Seeing her collection and learning more about her pieces was more than informative. It’s fun to be around others who share a passion for a niche interest.
It’s the mission of the National Association of Miniature Enthusiasts (NAME) to promote miniatures through education, collecting, and building friendships and skills. You can find out more about its annual convention or where a local miniature club might be located on their website.