This unusual and very attractive early 1900s antique dolls house is the latest antique miniature abode to go up for sale at KT Miniatures. It is of solid wooden construction and in need of some sympathetic restoration. A fantastic project for someone!
Looking at the style and the way it's been made, it probably originates from around the early 1900s.......maybe c1910 -1915. I don't feel that it's post WW1.
Looking at the style and the way it's been made, it probably originates from around the early 1900s.......maybe c1910 -1915. I don't feel that it's post WW1.
It has some very nice touches such as an upper balcony with a door leading into the landing.
The frontage opens in two parts, the central part with the doors and balcony being fixed.
All the windows are glazed with real glass. The windows are surrounded by a fretwork frame, and I have to say that the house does seem quite similar in style to those dolls houses made from plans that were sold by Handicrafts in the first part of the 20th century. But after scouring the few Handicraft handbooks and magazines that I have, no exact match to a specific design can be found.
(CLICK HERE to see a past KT Miniatures Journal topic on Handicrafts)
This house has modern brick paper on the exterior which I did embark on removing, beginning at the back, but it was quite time consuming (time which I just do not have) so have left all further restoration to the new owner. I did also remove some disgusting sticky back carpet from all the floors and hideous modern paper from the interior ceilings. It immediately looked (and smelt) so much better!
Whoever takes this on can have great fun restoring this little treasure. There is a hint of further wallpaper underneath the old papers that are currently on the interior. I am dying to see what is lurking under there but nope.....am leaving it well alone for the next owner.
Scale is all over the place with this house, as is commonly found in some of the very old houses. The interior doors are so tiny....compared to the front doors and the scale of the windows. But this just adds to the magical quirkiness of this lovely little house. However as the ceiling height is 9" downstairs and 8 3/4" upstairs, 1/12th scale furniture would look perfect in here.
4 comments:
Hello KT,
This is just lovely. I can imagine little children playing with it many years ago.
The design is just...enchanting.
Hugs,
Giac
Cheers Giac...it is rather exquisite isn't it. To think its survived two world wars and still going strong!lol Celia
Dear Celia,
It's lovely to have you online again! This is a gorgeous house - sometimes I wish I lived in the UK, although I would need a very large house and income to accommodate all the dolls houses I wanted to buy!
This reminds me most of a Woodworker design, or at least a design from the book Home Woodwork, which was published by Evans Bros (who also published The Woodworker), probably in the 1920s. I've just written an article about The Woodworker designs for the new issue of the Dolls Houses Past and Present magazine - the "double villa" type house is the second in the article. It's not exactly the same - the finishing around the windows is more like Handicrafts or Hobbies houses, and the middle section is enclosed. So perhaps it's unique, a design adapted by the maker!
Hi Rebecca....awww thanks....'tis great to be back! Yes....this house is lovely isn't it. Thanks for your comments....I shall fly over to DHPP and take a sneaky peek at the latest magazine this very moment. Would be particularly interested to see the "Woodworker" designs.....am intrigued. I do think this has been homemade but the person who made it seems to have been quite skilled and added some nice touches. Celia
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