"Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death"

There was an article in the Baltimore Sun today about a woman in the 1940's, Frances Glessner Lee, who created a bunch of doll house sized recreations of actual crime scenes for study by forensic examiners from around the world. I've know about these dioramas for about 6 years and I'd love to get a look at them in person but I don't know anyone at the Maryland State Medical Examiners office and they're not open to the public. The article in the Sun highlights a photographer who spent 7 years photographing and studying the miniatures and the amazing woman who made them. The photographer, Corrine May Botz, has a soon to be released book on the subject, "Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death" as well as a gallery showing of her photos in New York City at the Bellwether Gallery. Since the Baltimore Sun is a pain in the ass when it comes to trying to access their articles online I posted links to the gallery and the publisher of the book. Admittedly this is as far "Beyond Tiki" as you can go but I really think the detail and
skill that was involved in creating these "nutshells" is phenomenal. The Sun's writer put it best when he referred to them as "Norman Rockwell meets Norman Bates."

The gallery...

http://www.bellwethergallery.com

The book...

http://www.monacellipress.com

Another online article that provides more detail...

http://www.brucegoldfarb.com/nutshell.htm

Hey, maybe she has a Trader Vic's crime scene somewhere...

Johntiki,that is fascinating!Would be a very interesting read-thanks for posting this.

There was a similar article about her in the NY Times last week. Had some great pictures! Cool stuff!

waikiki

Wow, that's so cool and quirky.

I wonder if as a youngster she made them from sugarcubes?