I've just been looking at the Web site of The Glass Ensemble, which offers handcrafted five inch tall glass musicians. I don't think I would want to cope with the responsibility of owning one, and can't think where I could display it so that it would be both safe and easily visible, but just looking at the pictures made me smile! They can be customised to resemble the person you are giving them to.

http://www.theglassensemble.co.uk/

Aren't they lovely? Thanks for posting the url!

I saw a complete orchestra like that (looked exactly the same as on the link) in a shop window in Venice in March this year. It looked wonderful!

Pah! Where's the recorderist?

(Hey, one of us had to )

Not only that, there's no flautist either. I'll have to be the soprano instead.

Haven't found a recorder player, but there is a flautist or two :

http://www.theglassensemble.co.uk/34.html

For some reason it isn't one of the instruments with a link on the main page though

Ah. I didn't investigate far enough! (Might still be the soprano, though. )

Hehe, she's pretty cool isn't she?

I saw that too! In May last year. Weren't they great? I got a photo.

I had the same thought

They are very nice

Awww they're adorable!!! I have a little glass piano, but I don't have 'anyone' playing it!! They're so cute!

Thanks for posting that!!

Laura

They are fab! Wish I was rich, and not a poor music teacher!

Yes, I thought they were really lovely and was going to get one for my dearest hubby but then couldn't find the shop again - Venice is such a maze!

They're very nice.

I like the clarinet ones best.

Bet that's surprised you all.

Everso much

No, really?

I wonder why?

They're lovely!! I like the keyless claris though

Am I allowed to say I think they're horrible!!!
Sorry - but if you gave me one it would be straight down the Oxfam shop the next morning.

O.K. Crawling back into my burrow.

Of course! No-one can argue with the way you feel.

No need to apologise. If the shop was anywhere within reach of the other people who have responded to this thread they would be happy, and so would Oxfam!

And so would those of us who like them! Think how little we could pick them up for!!
Now...have you made your Christmas list yet, and where is your nearest Oxfam? (Gets map out)

I like them! I'm not so sure about the grand piano one, but the others have a certain appeal. There's something a bit art deco-ish about them.

Did anybody else collect the Tetley Tea Men musicians when they came free with tea bags? I have almost all of them, and had a cupboard crammed full of nothing but tea bags at one stage, which I bought in bulk to to get the characters.

And they're each priced at only £40!