Cutaway Castle diorama

[JPSA]

In early February 2016, I came across the following listing on the German Ebay ( it might have been on Ebay Kleinanzeigen, but I am pretty sure it was on Ebay.de ).  It was so striking, I saved the pictures.  The images have been sitting on my hard drive, and I thought they might as well be shared, considering the listing was public.  Whoever made this, if you see this, I'd love to know more about its creation.  The castle sold for . . . . 212 Euros!










































I copy-pasted the listing description:


Wir bieten hier eine sehr sehr große Custom Made Ritterburg von Playmobil. Zum Spielen oder für Sammler und Playmobilfans. Diese Ritterburg wurde in stundenlanger Arbeit gefertigt und ist mit vielen kleinen und liebevollen Details ausgestattet. Jeder einzelne Raum wurde sehr detailliert dargestellt. Die Burg ist in der Mitte teilbar, so dass das innere quasi komplett bespielbar ist. Türme und Wohnhaus sind abnehmbar. Im inneren befindet sich noch eine Schmiede. Komplett mit Weinkeller, Kerker, Verlies usw. Unsere Tochter hat Stunden damit verbracht, die Räume umzudekorieren oder einfach damit zu spielen. Sie ist jetzt aber (leider) zu groß dafür.

Die Burg steht auf zwei MDF Platten, die ebenfalls gestaltet sind und ist sehr schwer. Lässt sich aber problemlos mit einem normalen PKW transportieren .

Achtung! Verkauf ohne Figuren. Die Figuren werden in einer anderen Auktion angeboten. Aber das gesamte Zubehör wie Fässer, Töpfe, Pfannen, Becher, Tische, Stühle usw. gehört zum Angebot.

Kein Versand!!! Nur Abholung in 41844 Wegberg. Je nach Entfernung wäre ich bereit, dem Käufer gegen Übernahme der Spritkosten entgegen zu kommen.


Google translation:


We are offering a very large custom-made knights castle from Playmobil. For playing or for collectors and Playmobil fans. This knights castle was made over many hours of work and is equipped with many small and loving details. Every single room is shown in great detail. The castle can be divided in the middle so that the inside is almost completely playable. Towers and house are removable. There is also a forge inside. Complete with wine cellar, dungeon, etc. Our daughter spent hours redecorating the rooms or just playing with them. But she is (unfortunately) too big for that now.

The castle stands on two MDF panels, which are also designed and is very heavy. But it can be easily transported in a normal car.

Warning: Figures not included. The figures will be offered in another auction. But all the accessories such as barrels, pots, pans, cups, tables, chairs, etc. are part of the offer.

No shipping!!! Pick up only in 41844 Wegberg. Depending on the distance, I would be willing to accommodate the buyer by covering fuel costs.

[GrahamB]

Wow, that's an amazing creation!

[JPSA]

I wonder if Steve Crisp's cutaway castle was a source of inspiration ( available as a 1000p puzzle from Ravensburger ).

Steve Crisp is known for his "wimmelbilder" — teeming pictures — art.

[Tiermann]

It's an amazing creation. Those interior kitchen fireplaces remind me very much of the kitchen in Albrecht Durer's house in Nuremberg. It's an unusually accurate Playmobil castle.

[JPSA]

It is gorgeous.  I love that they took the chance, and went through the trouble, of painting exterior walls.  The warm tones enhance the appeal of the façade, and are a welcome departure from the usual gray.  I also love that they built hourds around the battlements.  Very realistic — a feature I wish PM would add to steck ( along with 2x-radius towers! ).  Also, did you notice that thought was put into aligning the fireplaces, on each floor — on both sides — with built-in custom chimney shafts and outlets?   Design.  It's also interesting that the rooms are cut in half, longitudinally: we're literally immersed in the middle of them; something you don't usually see.   ...What this castle proves, to me, is that a little more emphasis on steck build-ability, with a few more pieces, could bring PM to yet another level, at the glorious intersection of construction and narrative-play.  It needn't be limited to medieval themes, either.

[Klickteryx]

Amazing work, it definitely has an early-mid 20th century feel to it - the style, not the subject matter. It's not common to see such extensive hoardings either so the creator(s) must have done more than basic research.
Nice use of a door as a window shutter, haven't seen that before.

[hauden_lukas]

Nice use of a door as a window shutter, haven't seen that before.

Where do you see that?

[Tiermann]

He may be referring to the louvered window shutters on the fachwerk house at the top.

[Klickteryx]

He may be referring to the louvered window shutters on the fachwerk house at the top.

Exactly.