The Dining Room at Mindolton Manor - Vintage dollhouse

All furniture in this room is vintage Lynnfield. In fact all of the furniture in the house is Lynnfield.

To find out more about Lynnfield furniture go to this post:

Mindolton Manor Revisited. The Master Bedroom

The china is not vintage. It is a nice detailed set that I bought on line a few years ago. I believe one can get it in this pattern and many others in Dollhouse shops.

The silverware is from chrysnbon and is plastic. The flower arrangement on the buffet is from Reutter Miniature Porcelain.

I love the original owner's choice of wallpaper and contrasting trim.

The butler has just finished laying the table for dinner.

The dining room is by Lynnfield in the Duncan Phyfe style. They made this style of furniture from the 1940s through to the 1970s. The upholstery on the chairs is original.

The doors at the back of the room go into the kitchen. The door to the right leads into the front hall and the door to the left leads on to the side veranda.

Having so many doors in the room makes it difficult to arrange the furniture. I have a lovely Lynnfield corner cupboard that won't go in this room. But then again, the room is quite small.

The rug in here is not vintage either. It is a dollhouse rug from my local miniature store.

The Library at Mindolton Manor - Vintage dollhouse

When I got this house the library was the only room that wasn't empty. It came with the four bookshelves and all the books.

It is a comfortable, friendly room, furnished in a comfortable, friendly way. Except for the new fireplace and the built in credenza on the right wall all of the furniture is Lynnfield.

I particularly like the double sided desk with the 'leather' top and working drawers.

The lovely secretary came full of books and has pigeon holes and small drawers inside its drop front.

The matching sofa, wing chair and rocking chair are the same style as those in the master bedroom. This set has an arm chair in the same upholstery in a contrasting colour.

The chess set is magnetic. It has a few pieces missing, but I will just assume it's a game in progress and the missing pieces have already been captured.

The two paintings are original works of art. They are landscapes of lakes - much like cottage country here in Ontario. Perhaps the Mindoltons also own a summer cottage up north.
(I'll have to see if I have one in the garage)

 The ashtray is an accessory from the German company Gerlach. I have several of these. Some are in my Tynietoy house and some are in my Gottschalk.

As a rabid non-smoker I find it odd that these ashtrays are so attractive to me. I think it's the realism and the nod to previous era when smoking everywhere was acceptable.

Both carpets are hand made. The one under the desk is petit point and goes very will with the colours in the desk.

The books came with the house, but it looks like I need a few more to fill the shelves.

I hope you enjoyed the Library. Next time we will visit the dining room.

Good bye for now.

Mindolton Manor Revisited. The Master Bedroom

Back in June of 2009 I found an incredible dollhouse on Craigslist. I called it Mindolton Manor. Mindolton being a contraction of Mini Doll Town.

Mindolton Manor dominates my dining room.

It is not antique, but it is starting to edge into the vintage area. It is built from a kit called the Bay Mansion #520 by Walmer which was available in the early 1980s.

Back in 2009 I promised to show you pictures of the interior, but I never got around to doing a photo shoot - until today.

The house is still as I received it. The exterior is beautiful and finished. I love the colours the original owner used. Most areas of the interior need some type of finishing, but I furnished it anyway.

I will show you the house room by room over the next several posts.

I have furnished the house exclusively with Lynnfield furniture (not including accessories).

The maid has just finished making up the master bedroom.

One thing I love about Lynnfield furniture is the upholstery. It is perfect in scale and there are seemingly endless variations. The sitting area of the bedroom features three pieces in a rosebud pattern.

I love the round table complete with curved working drawers all the way around.

The furniture is from company called Lynnfield that was started in the early 1930s by Chester H. Waite of Lynnfield Massachusetts.

Most of the furniture was sold through Block House Inc., and its name changed several times over the years.

It went from Lynnfield to H.M. Miniatures to Andi Imports to Sonia Messer. (Sonia Messer miniatures were made in South America.)

The wonderful Empire-style twin beds have inlay in the headboards. The bed covers came with the beds so I am assuming that they are original

The Dressing table also has inlay and fully functioning drawers. These items were sold by Block house in the mid 1940s.

The little footstool is not Lynnfield. It is a petit point brooch.
I removed the back and glued beads to the bottom for feet.  

I bought the flower arrangement in Paris. It brings me happy memories.

I have put hand made needlepoint rugs in most of the rooms. I love needlework.

Stay tuned. Tomorrow we will visit the Library.

Does your Southern Belle need a Tara? Mansion for sale.

A recent visit to an antique market got my heart racing. I fell in love with this beautiful mansion. The southern plantation style exterior is fantastic.

Update: Anna from the UK has identified this house. She writes. "Hi Susan, what a fabulous find :)  The house is an Antebellum Plantation built using plans by 'Doll Domicile' and designed by C E Cavender, it is based on Shadows on the Teche, (more) a real Plantation house.  I have seen pictures of a number of built houses, they turn up once in a blue moon on ebay.  I even bought a set of plans on ebay that turned out to be incomplete, not nice.  I live in the UK so no built houses from the US for me but always a pleasure to see one. Best wishes Anna".

Thanks Anna!! Now I want it more than ever.
BTW. I found another one of these dollhouses on Craigslist!

A second Plantation house was for sale in Waterdown, NY.

With ten rooms and a two storey entrance hall this is the dollhouse of your dreams
I found this wonderful house at an antique market about an hour from where I live. Even if I had the $750. asking price it would have been impossible to take it home on the bus with me.

The two storey hall has a floor that, despite being a human size tile, fits  well with the style of decor.

 The house is approximately 6 feet wide and over three feet tall. It has a brass plaque that has the date 1978 and the makers name.

I believe the bathroom fixtures are made from the Realife Miniature bathroom kit.

The Mansion is a little shopworn but it is still beautiful. It would need a good cleaning and a bit of a facelift - new wallpaper,  some acetate for the windows, perhaps a re-wiring - but it would clean up really well. I have to say I was really tempted. If you are drop me a line and I will tell you where I found it. It's about an hour north of Toronto.