Lilliputian world: 22 dioramas show ancient European scenarios, giving a sweeping account of its cultural history. Robber knights, mercenaries, Olympians, Greek heroes and Prussian soldiers come alive, and we have no idea what they are up to at nights in the museum.
Flat pewter figurines first became popular toys in the early eighteenth century.
Many rulers and monarchs are known to have played with pewter figurines as children. Later, precious pewter figurines also appeared as toys in the homes of bourgeois families. Nuremberg became a centre.
The Südsauerlandmuseum’s collection was compiled by pastor Adrian Wilfried Müller from Neu-Listernohl. Its origins go back to Zittau, the town where his father grew up and a place that is known for pewter casting. Carl Arthus Müller built up a noteworthy collection of pewter figurines, the highlights of which were the dioramas “Jena and Auerstädt” and “Algeria 1830 to 1847″ by the Mignot company in Paris.
After World War II, A. W. Müller brought part of this large collection to Neu-Listernohl, where he became a collector himself. He succeeded in compiling figurine sets and dioramas from the most notable workshops in Europe. This included the venerable Heinrichsen company from Nuremberg and its masters, as well as the Leipzig artist Karl Mohr and from other workshops in Kiel, Berlin, Leipzig and Meissen
A.W. Müller restored the figurine sets, painted them and designed the dioramas. On 1 May 1977, he opened a pewter figure museum in the vicarage. The collection now forms part of the Südsauerlandmuseum’s holdings and is known as Westfälisches Zinnfigurenkabinett (Westphalian Pewter Figurine Exhibition).
