Richard Castrina is a retired racehorse trainer and driver (he raced trotters) who, at one time, considered himself a hobbyist “wood butcher” and blacksmith. Several years ago his love of things equine and his hobbies came together when he decided to investigate restoring old sleighs. As he researched sleighs, he encountered a one-third scale Albany sleigh and was so taken with it he decided to build one for himself.
The hobby became habit forming. Castrina continues to make the miniatures, no more than about 12 each year because of the research demanded for creating designs and the patience required for his precision workmanship. When he’s not working on miniatures, he also restores full-size sleighs.
Castrina has been commissioned by both museums and collectors to create his miniatures. His work has been repeatedly chosen for the Directory of Traditional American Crafts for the past several years.
Sugarloaf Mountain Sleighs 777 W. Butler Dr. Sugarloaf, PA 18249 Phone: 570-788-3413 Email: crafts@ptd.net Website: sugarloafmt.com
Richard A. Castrina has been selected for the following Directories:
2018 MINIATURES
2017 MINIATURES
2016 MINIATURES
2015 MINIATURES
2014 MINIATURES
2011 MINIATURES
2010 MINIATURES
2009 HOLIDAY
2008 CHRISTMAS
2008 MINIATURES
2007 CHRISTMAS
2007 MINIATURES
2006 CHRISTMAS
2006 MINIATURES
2005 HOLIDAY
2005 MINIATURES
2004 CHRISTMAS
2004 MINIATURES
2003 MINIATURES
2002 MINIATURES
2001 MINIATURES
2000 MINIATURES
1999 MINIATURES
Biography updated February 9, 2021 Photograph updated February 9, 2021Contact information updated March 6, 2018
The deadline for submitting entries for the 2021 Directory of Traditional American Crafts has past. All entries we have recevied are being processed and will be submitted to the jurors for anonymous judging. The 2021 Directory will appear in the August 2021 edition of Early American Life. Please do not call us. We cannot report on the status of any particular entry until the Directory is published..
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