~ Kimono Cabinet Reproduction ~

In 2025 I was asked by Bruce Hamilton (cabinetmaker) to recreate a small inlaid panel for a reproduction Charles Rennie Mackintosh “Kimono” cabinet. The original cabinet is in the Hill House in Helensburgh. I went over to see the cabinet in-situ, to ensure I got the colours and details right before I started. Each enamel colour was made by mixing different Reuche and Ancrum glass enamels at different temperatures and reduction / oxidation firings, which allowed me to vary the intensity and colour values of each pink / blue / violet / green enamel. The enamels were painted on an opaque white Lamberts glass. Bruce provided me with some pewter sheet off-cuts, which I stuck onto lead sheet backing. I needed to accurately cut out the lead sheet using paper stencils. Each tiny piece of glass was roughly cut before grinding to a fraction of a millimetre accuracy. Tiny 1/8″ lead was used throughout. It was like making stained glass in miniature.