Antique Dollhouse

 

This is another  recent Craigslist find. It was advertised as a Quebec Folk Art Dollhouse from the 1890s. The lady selling it said she bought it from an antique dealer back in the 1980s and paid $1000. for it.

She said they had kept it in their daughter's room as a decor piece. The daughter didn't play with it, she said. And now the daughter was grown up and on her own,  the lady had downsized and wanted to part with the house. She was happy a collector was buying it, and it would be well taken care of.


After the lovely trip Daphne and I took to Washington I told myself that I couldn't buy anymore dollhouses. My disposable income had been disposed of even before the Washington trip, and my 1:1 house is rather crowded.

But ... I kept looking at the pictures on Craigslist, and I just had to see the house in person. Of course once I saw it I had to have it.



Maybe some of you can help me date it. I don't think it is from before 1900 as the style of the interior looks more 1900-1930. There is real glass in the windows, but the cross hatches on the windows are some kind of rough tape. They almost feel like sandpaper - maybe florist's tape.


The light fixtures should help to date it. I have seen this type of  lighting in the books and I think they are from the early decades of the 1900s.



The wires are sticking out of the back of the house from under the ceiling of the upper floor. I have no idea whether I will be able to restore the wiring - or if I will even try.



I love the curved archways between the rooms, and the paint colours. I think they are original. They really suit the house. One of the features that sold me on this house was the half walls and pillars between the living room and dining room (or perhaps it is the den).



The staircase is very elegant with a wider rounded stair at the bottom. The banister is missing as is the railing in the upper hall. The former owner never had it.The hardwood floors are lovely.

I haven't cleaned it yet, but I am looking forward to doing so and finding just the right furniture for it.

If anyone  can help me fill in the age or history of the house please comment. I would love to know more.

Hugs,
Susan

Triang in Toronto

 

Craigslist Toronto has the most amazing capacity to offer me the things I would like to have.  Friday, just before I left work, I surfed in to the list and found this dollhouse. I knew it was a Triang so I emailed the seller and it was mine by 9 p.m. The front is a bit rough and the roof is missing, but it is in very good condition otherwise.

I believe this is a Triang 50 from about 1950. At that time the roof was made of cardboard. Does anyone out there know where I can find a reproduction roof, or what website might offer instructions on how to make one? Also what are your thoughts on re-painting the front as opposed to leaving it as original as possible?

It came with all the furniture pictured here. I think at least three pieces are original to the house.

The Marx Grandfather clock and secretary aren't in the best of condition, but they are still cute. I believe this furniture was sold in England in the mid-sixties. Of course it could have been acquired after the house came to Canada. We will never know. The soft plastic baby bed is about the right age, if not the right scale. It has some melt marks on the bed posts.

The living room has some very nice pieces. The fireplace is Marx. The TV is a Bush, made in England by Triang (Thanks Rebecca!), The sideboard is made of bakelite and says "Bex Molding" inside it. It was part of a Toy Town furniture set made in England by the British Xylonite Co. Ltd. It may be original to the house, but could also br from 10 years earlier. (Information from Dian Zillner's International Dollhouses and Accessories 1880s to 1980s)

I haven't been able to identify the chairs. They are hard plastic with felt glued on the seats & back. They look more mid-sixties in quality.

UPDATE: Thanks to Diepuppenstubensammlerin and Annina I know the chairs are East German by Fairline. I found a picture of them on this blog: My Mini-Playground. Here the author has replaced the red felt with thin foam core in an olive green. It improves the chairs immensely.



The other bedroom has a Dol-toi wardrobe and vanity, I think, or maybe Barton and a smaller scale bookcase that says BlueBox on the back. The books are cardboard.

I was thrilled with the tin stove and counter in the kitchen. They are from "My dolly's kitchen series", made by Brimtoy in Great Britain in the early 50s,  and the exact right age for the house. Too bad there aren't more pieces of the set. Dian Zillner's book (International Dollhouses and Accessories 1880s to 1980s) shows a sink, fridge and washer.

The soft plastic green cooker and table at the back of the kitchen are Kleeware, I think. They are more 1960s. Perhaps the dollhouse had two generations of play - early 50's and mid to late 60's.

The seller was a young man in his late twenties. He had the house in the back of his truck when I met him at a Starbucks (his suggestion). He said his mother had it in her basement and told him to 'get rid of it'. He said it had belonged to his mother's mother's 'something' (possibly his mother's aunt, I guessed), and it was from the 1930's. His mother had brought it over from England.

I didn't contradict him. I just wanted to buy it, and I believed that it was probably his mother's and his mother's aunt before that. It may be true, but when I was cleaning 50 years of dirt off it I came across a number 7 written in grease pencil. Those of you who are familiar with Value Village and some of the other thrift stores will know that they write their prices on items with grease pencil. (very annoying, but that's another story).

So whether it was his mother's or a thrift shop find doesn't change the fact that it is a 1950 Tirang with some original furniture  and I am thrilled to have it.

Wow! I finally have a Tirang!

Hugs
Susan

Meanwhile, back at the Flagg's ....

When we last saw the Flagg's Patsy and Bucky were very busy. They didn't mean to be naughty. They were just curious and having fun, but Mrs. Flagg was not pleased and now they are having a time out on the stairs. Patsy is glad she has Bucky for a friend. A time out is not so bad when he is with her. She wishes she could have another orange.



















When the door bell rings Mrs. Flagg in in the living room cleaning up bread crumbs and orange peels. The carpet was such a sticky gooey mess that she had to send it out for cleaning and put a new one down. She likes the new one better though. It is very elegant, and all hand made.















"Mom, there's a guy at the door in a cool outfit," Patsy calls. "Maybe he's another delivery man." Bucky growls excitedly. He isn't afraid of this uniform.



















Mrs. Flagg is curious and worried to see a Mountie at her door. "Hello Officer," she says. "What can we do for you?"

"Well, Ma'am, I am here to investigate your missing person report. I believe you reported one Bob Flagg missing. Can you tell me when was the last time you saw him alive."

"What do you mean 'alive'? You can't possibly think Bob is not alive, can you? My sweet, dear, considerate husband. The best friend a woman could ask for and a wonderful father for Patsy. He just disappeared one day, and now you think he is dead!?!"

"Calm, down ma'am. I didn't say he was dead or that you had done away with him. Just the facts please. When did you last see him"?




















Before her mother can answer Patsy yells. "Mom, the delivery man is here again!" He is bringing us a person!"

What?!" says Mrs. Flagg. Then, "BOB!!! Bob, is it really you?"













"Betty!" shouts Mr. Flagg.

"Bob!!" cries Mrs. Flagg

They run to each other and embrace.

















































"Bob, I was so worried! I thought you were dead." says Mrs. Flagg. "Where have you been?"

"It's a long story," says Bob. "But I'm home now. I missed you."

"Hi Daddy," says Patsy. "

















"Patsy, my girl!" How are you?"

"I got a dog. His name is Bucky, and we ate the bread, and oranges and Mommy got mad." says Patsy as she hugs her daddy.





















"You mean the bread and oranges the my sister, Felicia, and I sent from California?" asks Mr. Flagg. "With the note saying I was coming home?"

"We didn't get the note." says Mrs. Flagg. "The delivery man lost it. I had no idea you were coming home."

"Well, ma'am," says the Mountie, "It looks like I have solved another case. If everything is fine here I will be on my way. Hey, delivery guy, can I get a ride with you?"

"Sure, hop on," says the delivery man, realizing there will be no tip, even though Bob was one of the heaviest deliveries he has done in years and it was mostly uphill on the bicycle.

















The Flags wave goodbye and call their thanks. Mrs. Flagg feels like she is in a dream. Mr. Flagg is happy to be off the bicycle seat. It wasn't very comfortable, and the delivery man grumbled and complained the whole time. Patsy wonders what her father brought her and if he has any more oranges. Bucky wonders who this new guy is and if he will have to guard Mrs. Flagg and Patsy from him. Bucky is a very good dog.

"Let's go in the house and open that lovely bottle of California wine to celebrate," says Mrs. Flagg. "Bob, I can't believe you are home."





















When the family is settled on the couch with the bottle of Rosé and a glass if milk for Patsy Mr. Flagg starts to tell his story. It is a long, long story, but it has a happy ending.
















Will we hear of Mr. Flagg's adventures in a future blog? We will have to wait and see.

Hugs,
Susan

Blossoms

I haven't been able to blog for a while, so until I get some new pictures to share I am posting pics from Daphne's and my adventure - our road trip south to find spring (and dollhouses).

We have been home just over a week now and spring has found us. I have blossoms on the trees in my back yard and leaf buds on the trees in the front. They are lovely.

All pictures shown here were taken in Washington, DC's tidal basin on Easter Monday. The temperature was 80+ degrees. We got there just in time to see the cherry blossoms before they disappeared.

Enjoy,

Hugs,

Susan

Time to go home - Let's pack the car

Daphne supervises the loading.

Can you believe we got them all in? And the luggage too!?

Daphne and her driver left the DC area with five dollhouses in the car.

Three Keystone types. a beautiful mid-seventies Lundby with all the furniture and a garage sale Plan toys (it had to be taken apart to get it in). See my previous posts for pictures

And ...

Believe it or not. they picked up two more on the way home.

Just between you and me - I am starting to think Daphne has a problem.

Hugs,

Susan

Lundy - mid 70's perfection

Guess what! One can find Craigslist treasures even on vacation!

This house was offered on Craigslist and even though Daphne is the wrong scale she felt it was important to bring it home too.

The house is from the mid-seventies and came with all the furniture, transformer and working lights.

The lady who was selling it had it as a child and must have loved it very much. It is in pristine condition. Again I will say - how can they part with these things? Lucky for me she did.

The people were purchased at a flea market along the road. Three are Lunby from about 2000, and the mom and dad are Caco - from a period when they tried to save money by putting really cheap clothes on them. The dogs came with the house.

I love everything about this house. Daphne and her friends had great fun setting it up. Then it had to be all packed up again for the car ride home.

Hugs,

Susan

Daphne needs to get a real estate license

Daphne has found another open house.

This lovely 1947 tudor style home is completely furnished.

Daphne takes a tour of the house and falls in love. She has to have it. There is a built in fireplace in the living room and even a cat who comes with the house.

Once again her traveling companion gets out her wallet. (where do I find a companion like that?)

And another house goes into the car. It's lucky Daphne is small. The car is very full and if she were any bigger she would have to ride on the roof.

Another one?!? Another open house???

Daphne has found a second Open House.

She loves the little benches at the front door even though one needs a repair. She's confident she can have it fixed.

She wonders what kind of party blew out the front window, but she doesn't let that deter her from looking the house over.

She's getting to be an old hand at this house business and she doesn't hesitate to ask the price.

$30.00? Well, it isn't quite as nice as the last house, but the benches at the front door have cinched the deal. Again Daphne's traveling companion gets out her wallet. And again the house goes into the car.
As soon as she can, Daphne puts her garage sale furniture in to the house, just to see how it looks.

The scales are a bit wonky, but Daphne knows there is better furniture at home and maybe more will show up in this adventure.

We will just have to wait and see.

Hugs

Susan

The open house

Daphne's adventures just keep on going.

Now she has found an Open House. It is a lovely little Cape Cod. Daphne learns that it was originally sold by a company called FAO Schwarz about 35 years ago.

What a beautiful little home, thinks Daphne as she has a look around.

I'm going to find out what the asking price is.

Daphne is so excited once she finds out.

They want $35.00. Daphne has no money of her own, but she is confident that her traveling companion has enough cash.

Yes, she is right. the deal is struck and into the car goes the house. Daphne is already furnishing the house in her head.

My, oh my. What else can happen?

More to come ...

Hugs,

Susan