Hard Plastic Renwal Dolls

Posted on 04/08/2019 by Mimi Berlin Amsterdam

Renwal Dolls

Renwal dolls, they look so creepy, don’t they? But at the same time they are SO pretty as well! The photography, by ForgetMeNotVintage; the shop on etsy which sells these vintage dolls, is truly outstanding. The pink doll is neatly placed on a chair, and we can see that she sits in a wallpapered room, the yellow child is also portrayed in a masterly way. We, at Mimi Berlin, don’t want the dolls, we want these photo’s! #auchhaben

Early plastics

Dolls from Renwal toys. above, in pink is the mother, the sister is yellow. Below, in white, are the Renwal Veterinarian Doctor and Nurse Doll, they all belong in a dollhouse and are really small in size. The figures are produced by the American Renwal company from 1945 untill the late 1950s. (Click HERE for an extra read on older and early plastics dollhouses)

(images via https://www.worthpoint.com / ForgetMeNotVintageTN)

Read more about plastic dolls from yesteryear here, on this blog.

Candles in Artsy Shapes and Bright Colors

Posted on 23/06/2019 by Mimi Berlin Amsterdam

Candles

We, at Mimi Berlin, don’t care much for candles in our home, we aren’t the romantic type that way. The artsy Pillar candles (2018) by Lex Pott and the Hematite Candles (2015) by the Haas brothers made us wanna have a change of mind though. These usable and colorful pieces of wax art are SO over the top fun! Not only literally, they are huge, but also the shapes are spectaculair.

(Images via/courtesy of The Haas Brothers and Lex Pott)

Shapes

The shape of the Hematite collection are created by filling a panty hose with plaster, then binding them with ropes. They were made exclusively for Cultured magazine, in a limited edition, with the proceeds going to a good cause. They are sold out since they were made in 2015. Lex Pott’s Pillars “refer to the standardised pillar candles but are transformed into an eclectic palette of shapes” and colors. These wax totems are still for sale; for the addresses you can check lexpott.nl.

PS

We know we are writing about indoor candles on the fist day of Summer, a useless topic for the time of the year. But, in our defence, they are very pretty to look at so we wrote this post as a reminder for when the dark winterdays are upon us.
What do you think? Would you have these wax pillars in your home?

Loudspeaker by HAY for Sonos

Posted on 09/07/2018 by Mimi Berlin Amsterdam

Loudspeaker

Yes, a Loudspeaker, not Loudspeakers, plural, as we used too name these things (if we wanted to listen to music in ‘stereo’. But that’s a different and historical story). Back to the topic of this post. The ‘One Smart Speaker’ is designed by the Danish HAY company for Sonos, in a limited edition in cute colors. We’ll categorize this product as Friendly Design. Same as everything else we’ve seen at HAY during the Milan Designweek 2018.

(images via hay.dk)
Sonos are supposed to produce good loudspeakers so we, at Mimi Berlin, say: Auch Haben!

HAY and Sonos

“HAY and Sonos explore the role of colors, sound and design with the new HAY Sonos One Loudspeaker. Continue reading →

GiftBox Bows Shiny and Larger than Life

Posted on 07/06/2018 by Mimi Berlin Amsterdam

Shiny GiftBox Bows

These Shiny Gift Box Ribbons are so much larger than life! ‘Happy Happy’ lamps designed by Stephen Johnson and cute bags from Maison Margiela. Auch Haben!

Happy Happy lamps designed by Stephen Johnson

Happy Happy designed by Stephen Johnson

gift bow shoulderbag from Maison Margiela

gift bow shoulderbag from Maison Margiela

(images via stephenjohnsondesign.com / maisonmargiela.com / farfetch.com

Stephen Johnson designed a mega large (ø70cm), exact copy of a shiny giftbox bow to make us happy! His ‘Happy Happy’ bows, dating from 2010, have been relaunched in 2017 featuring a lighting unit, made in mirror polished aluminum in four colours. The Happy lights are made to order.

And, what a fun coincidence (is it?): Maison Margiela has bags in the same shape, The MM6 ‘Mirror gift bow shoulder bag’ is also taller than the real shiny paper shiny bows, but way smaller than Stephen Johnson’s lamps. If you want to buy the bag go to farfetch for the lilac one, silver is still on stock at margiela.com. Continue reading →

Flower Botanical Models

Posted on 13/02/2017 by Mimi Berlin Amsterdam

Flower Botanical Models

Maybe more pretty than real flowers, maybe not, either way…Auch Haben!

Four R. Brendel Mixed Media Floral Botanic Models : Lot 1003 liveauctioneers.com

img via beikey.net

A Group of Botanical Models

Victorian Botanical model

A Brendel model showing the fruit of a belladonna plant.

A c. 1900 R. Brendel Berlin botanical Model the bean germination, painted papermache, plaster and wood; the leaves probably replaced later out of plastic (?), on turned wood stand with non matching paper description label. Height c. 55 cm. (WU).

from the Brendel catalogue, issued in Berlin in 1913. (property of TU Delft )

Model of a lily flower. The base is made of wood and flower paper mache. Made by Brendel & Company, Germany. ca 1920

Selection of Brendel papier mache teaching models. Photograph from RBGE collection

img via http://stories.rbge.org.uk/archives/author/lornastoddart / http://www.beikey.net/mrs-deane/?paged=65 / https://new.liveauctioneers.com/item/33531103_four-r-brendel-mixed-media-floral-botanic-models / https://nl.pinterest.com/pin/350858627195606893/ https://herbologymanchester.wordpress.com/2015/03/ http://www.gmmg.org.uk/our-connected-history/item/plant-model/ https://delftschoolmicrobiology.weblog.tudelft.nl/tag/brendel/ https://www.dorotheum.com/en/auctions/current-auctions/kataloge/list-lots-detail/auktion/10836-clocks-metalwork-faience-folk-art-sculptures-antique-scientific-instruments-and-globes/lotID/426/lot/1764134-a-c-1900-r-brendel-berlin-botanical-model.html / http://stories.rbge.org.uk/archives/author/lornastoddart

Continue reading →

BFGF an Art Brand Inspired by Comfort, Beauty and Humour

Posted on 03/02/2017 by Mimi Berlin Amsterdam

BFGF an Art Brand Inspired by Comfort, Beauty and Humour

BFGF is based in Los Angeles, it is the brand of artist Lilian Martinez. Ms Martinez makes wonderful, digitally printed plaids, cushions and blankets. (also silk scarves and shirts) which she sells in her web shop. On BFGF’s site it says that she is inspired by comfort, beauty and humour, a simple but nice statement! Our favorite piece is the Worldwide Aura Blanket (that’s the pink one with Lisa Simpson)

Worldwide Aura Blanket

Museum Blanket

Pottery Pillow

Auch Haben! (they are made of 100% cotton)

(images courtesy of bfgf.com)