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Fairhavens are miniature decorative houses.
Whilst similar products are well known around the world, Fairhavens
represent exclusively South and Southern African buildings.
Each model starts from photographs, sketches, and in some cases, technical drawings. From these an original is created in a black pliable compound. These originals take many hours of painstaking care, each window strut is reproduced, some of the models are actually built stone by stone!
When
this prototype is accepted moulds are made in materials that carry every
detail, even as fine as a human hair. From the mould a block is made,
and this forms the basis of the Fairhaven that is eventually sold to the
public. The "blocks" have a base colour of either white or beige, then
each one is individually hand painted with the finest of brushes.
Another examination stage, and then the model is cold-glazed.
A base of felt, labels, etc. are added, and another Fairhaven is ready for dispatch.
The subject matter falls into various categories; the first division is
in origin. The homes and houses of traditional African
villages as well as the typical S. African developments of European styles.
Some of the representations are of actual places,
whilst others are of a general nature, and sometimes composites of unusual
features seen in African constructions.
The range is being slowly added to, and as the moulds do not have an indefinite life, older patterns fall away. Our first model, a Xhosa Hut, has had four different designs to date; others including an Ndebele village are no longer available, and, we are told, command high exchange values.