Friday, January 9, 2009

Antique Dollhouses

Antique dollhouses often offer a detailed insight into the domestic lifestyles of their era. These wonderful examples are from the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.


An English wooden doll's house dated from 1783, later restored by the artist and writer Denton Welch in the 1940's.


A modest shop-bought doll's house from the late 1700's


A Tudor style dollhouse manufactured by English firm Lines Bros Ltd in 1932


A painted wooden dollhouse from the early 1800's



May Foster's House was built c. 1800 and is furnished in the style of the period. It is believed that this is a copy of May Foster's family home in Liverpool, designed for her by her famous architect father, John Foster (1786-1846).



The Drew House was made in the early 1860's, said to be manufactured from orange boxes, yet beautifully furnished with items from an important German doll's house furniture maker - Schneegas of Waltershausen.



The Tate Baby House c. 1760, was made in Dorset and is said to be modelled on an 18th century Dorset house, owned and well looked after by a lady. Children would have only been able to play with the house occasionally under strict supervision. What a sumptuous interior!



The Nuremburg House was crafted in Germany in 1673, and is the oldest house in the V&A collection.


Not exactly a dollhouse but a child's wardrobe made by Edmund Joy in 1712, in the form of a house resembling the Kew Palace in West London.


A doll house designed by Jessie M. King in 1912 as part of a nursery collection, influenced by the Glasgow style of decorative art. Fairytale magic for a little girl!

2 comments:

  1. Anonymous20.10.12

    Thanks for sharing pictures, stories and histories!

    ReplyDelete