William (Wm.) R. Robertson, American, born 1956-
*This is a brief version of my working career. The full version
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Speaking
2019 Making Furniture Microscopic, Newport Restoration, Doris Duke Foundation, Rough Point, Newport, RI. June 18, 2019.
2018 William Robertson - Maximum Miniatures, Ideacity. Moses Znaimer's Conference, Toronto, Canada, June 24, 2018.
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2017 Details Matter: A Micro Mechanician in the Modern World. TEDx KC, Kauffman Center Kansas City, MO., Aug. 18, 2017
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2016 Bill Robertson, Tool Collector & Model Maker, EG 11 Conference, Carmel, CA., April 13- 15, 2017.
2010 Boston Beacon Hill House, Toy and Miniature Museum Kansas City, MO., May 11, 2010.
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2008 The Turning Room in Bonnier de la Mosson's Cabinet of Curiosities, Linda Hall Library, Kansas City, MO.
2005 The Miniatures of Wm. R. Robertson, Kunstgewerbemuseum , Schloss Pilnitz, Dresden,
Germany, July 10, 2005. *Only speaker at opening, translated into German.
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1987 Small Wonders: The Delightful World of Miniatures, National Geographic Society,
Grosvenor Auditorium, Washington, DC. October 19, 1987.
*Leonard Grant (VP) told WRR he was the first speaker to sell out the since auditorium Richard Leakey spoke there.
1980 Making a Rhode Island Card Table, Smithsonian Hirshhorn Museum, Washington, DC., August 12, 1980.
Museum Permanent Collections
The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures, Kansas City, MO.
*Formerly The Toy and Miniature Museum.
KSB Collection, Kentucky Gateway Museum Center, Maysville, KY.
Mini Time Machine Museum of Miniatures, Tucson, AZ.
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Special Exhibitions
2015 The Miniature, Grunwald Gallery of Art, IU, Bloomington, IN. Aug. 28 to Oct. 3, 2015.
2014 Highlights from the Collection of The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures, Nelson- Atkins Museum of Art, KCMO. July 2, 2014 to Feb. 22, 2015.
2005 Miniatturen Die Welt 1:12, Kunstgewerbemuseum, Schloss Pilnitz, Dresden, Germany, Jul. 10 to Nov. 1, 2005.
2001 Masters in Miniature, The Pistner Collection, Naples Museum of Art, Naples, FL., Nov. 2000 to June 2007.
1997 Zoom Sur La Miniatures, Musee De La Civilisation, Quebec, Canada, April 1997 to April 1998.
1987 Small Wonders: The Delightful World of Miniatures, National Geographic Society, Explorers Hall, Washington, D.C., Oct. 21 1987 to Jan. 1, 1988.
1984 The Enchanting World of Dollhouses & Miniatures, National Geographic Society, Explorers Hall, Washington, DC., Dec. 14, 1984 to Feb. 17 1985, *Chief Justice Warren Berger and Mrs. George Bush both attended.
1980 Holiday Celebration, Smithsonian Museum of American History, Washington, DC., Dec. 26-31, 1980
Awards
2015 Joe Martin Foundation Metalworking Craftsman of the Year, Carlsbad, CA.
2011 Don Buttfield Award, IGMA Guild School, Castine, ME.
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2008 Naming of “Wm. R. Robertson Fine Arts Rotunda," KSB Collection, Maysville, KY.
TV and Film
2019 The Miniature, Tiny Goat Productions, Toronto, Canada
2005 History Detectives, Public Broadcasting System (PBS), season 3, episode 301
1987 "3,2,1 Contact”, Children's Television Workshop, Fall 1987
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Museum Exhibit Work
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2019 - 2008 Design/Build, KSB Collection, Maysville, KY.
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2009 - 1989 Design/Curate/Build, Toy and Miniature Museum, Kansas City, MO.
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2005 - 1996 Restoration Consultant, National Park Service, Thomas Edison's Lab, West Orange, NJ. & Wright Brothers Shop, Dayton, OH.
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2003 - 2000 Design, Naples Museum of Art, Stephen and Patricia Pistner Gallery, Naples, FL.
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1999 - 1996 Design, The American Museum of the Miniatures Arts (closed), Dallas, TX.
1987 & 1984 Curate, National Geographic Society, Explorers Hall, Washington, D.C.
Books, Magazines and Newspapers
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WRR has been featured in dozens of books, magazines and newspapers in many countries; ranging from a story about building his first miniature desk in 1977 to multi-page features.
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*The full list of
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Teaching
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WRR has taught nearly 100 hands-on classes in the United States, Denmark, France, Holland and Japan. He has taught for 26 years at IGMA's Guild School in Castine, ME, and for 13 years in Copenhagen and Denmark.
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*The full of
Writing
2005 The Turning Room in Bonnier de la Mosson's Cabinet of Curiosities, E.A.I.A, The Chronicle & The Society of Ornamental Turners (UK).
2001
-1991 Handy Histories, Crosscuts, Mantel Cabinet; Workbench Magazine.
1995 La maison Mystérieuse, Maison de Poupée (French).
1993 Miniature Masterworks; The precision of Frank Early's furniture is no small feat, Fine Woodworking.
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“If you don't have all the time in the world it might be best to rush past all these wonders to the crowning exhibit, William R. Robertson's Georgian mansion, which is the sort of dollhouse Fabergé might have built for a Tsarina”
Washington Post, Hank Burchard, November 23, 1987
KSB Miniature Collection, Maysville, KY