Self-taught toymaker Eric Horne is renowned worldwide for his hand-crafted wooden creations. Since discovering a hidden talent for making traditional toys nearly 40 years ago, Eric has become a favourite among many private collectors, and his work has also been on the television and stage. Anita Merritt visits the home of the Topsham toymaker to discover where the toys are brought to life
Trying to track down Eric Horne is never hard because the furthest he often ventures from his house is down the bottom of the garden to his shed.
It's here where the hub of creativity begins and ends in the Topsham toymaker's modest workshop crammed with bits of wood, machinery and an all sorts of well-organised craft materials.
Working mainly in hard woods which are turned, the emphasis is on creating traditional fine detailed painted toys including dolls, gollies and miniatures. Eric also produces what is believed to be the smallest doll in the world – measuring a mere quarter of an inch and has moveable arms and legs.
"I just sat myself down and worked out how to do it," says Eric, modestly. "They are very difficult to make and patience is one thing I do have so I'm pretty lucky. To make one takes about six hours and 30 years, as my wife says!"
On the other end of the scale, the largest doll Eric makes is 36 inches, and has been sold worldwide, including London department store Liberty and luxury New York department store Bergdorf Goodman in Fifth Avenue. Many end up in the home of private collectors or become much-loved toys.
"I have a lot of older customers as the toys I make bring back memories of when they were children," says Eric, a fellow of the International Guild of Miniature Artisans in America. "The younger generation don't seem to be so interested.
"Toy trends do not have an effect on me because I do more traditional woodworking which are of a certain era which people love. They are a luxury item because of the work that goes into making them."
Keeping the traditional craft of toymaking alive was neither a conscious decision nor a skill Eric knew he had until 1975 when he was made redundant for the second time and suffered a breakdown.
The former security guard recalls: "The doctor suggested I try to do something with my hands so I took up woodturning because I had seen it being done and fancied giving it a go. I bought some tools and a lathe and taught myself.
"Most people can do the making but can't paint them, but I can do both so I'm fortunate. It's a very happy craft and I like the painting a lot as it brings them to life, but I also like the carving side as well. The more you do it the more fun you get out of it.
"Around the same time I started woodturning, one of my wife's friends had opened a shop in Topsham and asked if I could make her a doll. It was only half an inch and it was roughly made, but she thought it was perfect.
"Then I made some more for her to put in the shop window and they were spotted by a man who had a shop in central London and asked if I could supply him with some.
"Then they were seen by an American who wanted to sell them and it took off from there and I really got into it – and I still am!"
As well as dolls, Eric also makes miniature figures including Humpty Dumpty, a swinging clown and Pinocchio. It's the dolls side though that keeps Eric busiest and some of his creations have even ended up on the West End stage, and two of his larger dolls made a brief appearance in Miss Potter.
Eric, a member of the Devon Guild of Craftsmen explains: "Once you're in a position of being known you get lots of different offers come in. I have done a lot of specialised work and have been very, very lucky.
"Last year I was asked to make some dolls for an exhibition called Victoria Revealed at Kensington Palace based on Queen Victoria's doll collection."
Despite now being 75 years old, Eric has no intention of ever retiring from woodworking, much to the delight of his collectors.
"I could never retire or stop what I'm doing," he says. "I have slowed down a bit but there's always dolls to repair so I'd like to carry on doing what I do and hopefully pleasing a lot of people.
"People are born with a skills but not everyone gets to learn what that skill is so I am very lucky."
For examples of Eric's work visit www.erichorne.co.ukSee a gallery of Eric's work here.
