Leeds nostalgia: Small world for modelmaker... but what happened to the landau model?

It shows Myer Waterman examining the top of one of the tiny gold lamps before fitting it to the model of a Blackpool landau (a coachbuilding term for a kind of four-wheeled convertible carriage), which he had built.

Leeds had its very own landau, complete with gold lamps and solid silver wheels - he only problem was no-one was ever able to ride in it because it was only 6 inches tall.

The caption read: “The landau is the latest venture in the precision miniature work of a Leeds jeweller, Myer Waterman, who has spent 65 years in the delicate world of diamonds, gold and silver.

“He served his apprenticeship in the famous jewellers ‘mecca’ of Hatton Garden, London and now has his own little shop in New Briggate, Leeds. It is in the little back room of his shop that Mr Waterman pursues his hobby. He has already made a host of exact stringed instrument replicas, the smallest - a violin - being only 8 inches long.

“But his latest masterpiece is a complete breakaway. The landau which is nearing completion has been modelled on those which delight the tourists in Blackpool. Said the 70-year-old creator, who a that time still ran his own business: ‘The next step with the landau is to make a tiny harness for the horse but the miniatures I make are for pleasure only. Lots of people have asked me if I will sell them, but I wouldn’t at any price,.’

Mr Waterman was the head of a talented musical family. His daughter was the internationally-known piano teacher, Fanny Waterman, and his son, Harry Waterman, was an accomplished violinist - as is his grand-daughter Ruth Waterman, who played on the same bill as Yehudi Menuhin at the 1966 Bath Festival.

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