Workshop Wizard Ferd Sobol

Sees the World in Miniature

Even before Gulliver first stepped foot upon satirist Jonathan Swift’s imaginary island of tiny Lilliputians, craftsmen created miniature furniture for dollhouses. For the past forty years, re-nowned miniatures artisan Ferd Sobol has enchanted fellow artists, collectors, and enthusiasts around the world with his exquisite creations.

“Honoring the past while creating and infusing my vision into my editions, that is my ambition,” notes Ferd. “I am inspired to create miniature beauty, not solely for the sake of beau-ty but also for the sake of venerating those artisans, such as Thomas Chippendale, George Hepplewhite, and Duncan Phyfe, who preceded me.”

Ferd scales down each piece to one-twelfth scale. “My challenge as an artist is not to copy but rather to distill and capture the essence of the original,” says the master crafts-man. He also honors his wife’s myriad contributions. “I make a few doodles and then share them with my wife, Millie, for her opinion. She is an integral part of everything in The Ferd Sobol Editions.” He adds, “She also has a great eye for color and does most of the textile work.”

At the heart of Ferd Sobol Editions is the man himself. This ever humble craftsman shares an inside look at his process in “Behind the Workshop Door” on his website. He also keeps an eye on sustainability. Although he only uses a small portion of wood for each piece, an entire tree must still be felled. In keeping with his passion for the world’s forests, Ferd only pur-chases wood from harvesters who practice sustainability. It’s good to know that in this day and age, passionate miniature artists like Ferd Sobol can still see both the big picture and the tiniest details.

The Ferd Sobol Editions
805.241.8243
soboleditions.com