Item Doll

History of the Dolls House

Collecting dolls houses, particularly the plastic accessories for Barbie or Cindy, is a relatively recent phenomenon.How long these injection moulded pieces will last is anyone’s guess, however, recreating houses and their contents in detailed miniature is a hobby that’s been around for centuries in one form or another.
The earliest recorded dolls house – an exquisitely detailed replica of his own fully furnished residence – was claimed by Albert V, Duke of Bavaria, in the mid 1500s.Following his example, many other wealthy people began to commission miniatures by expert craftsmen.  These were not children’s playthings but were intended as a conspicuous display of taste, wealth and social standing.

The craze for dolls houses grew throughout the 17th and 18th centuries and gradually these miniature creations began to be considered appropriate for the children of the wealthy. These were not toys though!They were used as props to educate young girls about the domestic management duties that any well to do young woman would be expected to perform when she became mistress of her own household.    It wasn’t until the mid 19th century that the concept of “childhood” was really developed and the dolls house became more of a plaything. They were still the product of individual, painstaking, craftsmanship however and were restricted to the children of the middle and upper classes.No Victorian nursery was considered complete without one.

The Victorian age saw the beginning of industrial mass production, which changed the dolls house from lavish miniature heirloom into a genuine child’s toy.  The major innovator in this, and many other types of mass produced toy, was Germany, whose factories exported dolls houses and accessories all over the world.

But the upper class fascination with reflecting their lifestyle and status in miniature persisted.  Queen Mary, the wife of King George V of England, had a strong interest in dolls houses. n the early 1920’s one of the foremost architects of the day, Sir Edwin Lutyens, was commissioned to design and build a dolls house for the queen’s personal pleasure. The finest craftsmen of the day were involved in the production of all the miniature items for Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House, which can still be seen on display in Windsor Castle.
Today, mass production of dolls houses for fashion dolls (and even woodland creatures!) as toys for kids runs parallel to the hobby of miniature collecting by adults.   Arguably, diorama sets for model figures – be they model soldiers or Sci-Fi characters – are dolls houses too in spirit at least.There are a growing number of specialist shops, miniatures fairs and dolls house publications to cater for adult enthusiasts. Some enjoy building the models themselves, while others collect craftsman-made pieces. The aim is to achieve accurate detail to capture the right mood, character and period, making a hobby into a (very lucrative!) art form.

PlayStation Home interactive/active items – Mysterious Doll

Fred M Cup Measuring Matroyshkas, Set of 6 Dry Measuring Cups $7.80 These Russian Doll Measuring Cups are exactly what you need to doll up your kitchen with some old country charm! Why use boring, washed-up utensils when you can have these adorable stacking measuring cups? Designed to nest inside each other like traditional matryoshkas, these white measuring cups are a must-have for any stylish kitchen. Our charming set comes with 3 matryoshkas — the tops measure…

Mr. Coffee Electric Coffee Grinder with Chamber Maid Cleaning System $29.99 The Mr. Coffee coffee grinder makes personalizing 4-12 cups of coffee easy. You can choose your grind setting from fine to course and the removable grinding chamber and wide opening lid create less mess and allow for easy pouring. The exclusive Chamber Maid(tm) Cleaning System cleans grounds from chamber walls leaving no messy residue and less coffee waste….

M-Cups Red Measuring Matryoshkas $7.99 Matryoshkas made to measure! Designed by Carl Mitsch This set of 6 dry-measure cups nests neatly just like traditional Russian matryoshkas. They accurately measure 1/4, 1/3, 1/2, 2/3, 3/4 and 1 full cup. They’re useful, easy to store, and quite charming so why not doll up your kitchen with a little Russian folklore? They’re built from heavy-duty, food-safe, long-life engineering plastics. Outside …

The Pippi Longstocking Collection (Pippi Longstocking / Pippi Goes on Board / Pippi in the South Seas / Pippi on the Run) $41.93 Features include: •MPAA Rating: G•Format: DVD•Runtime: 358 minutes…

Jem and the Holograms: The Truly Outrageous Complete Series $57.99 Studio: Uni Dist Corp (music) Release Date: 10/11/2011…

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Ponyo $19.11 Ponyo confirms Academy Award®-winning director Hayao Miyazaki’s reputation as one of the most imaginative filmmakers working today. Loosely based on Hans Christian Anderson’s “The Little Mermaid,” Ponyo is a magical celebration of innocent love and the fragile beauty of the natural world. The daughter of the sea goddess Gran Mamare (voiced by Cate Blanchett) and the alchemist Fujimoto (Liam Neeso…

Miniature Sitting and Standing Plastic Babies Favors, Kings Cake Babies or Cupcake Decorations – Pkg of 24 $4.99 Sweet miniature babies with a retro look. Decorate baby shower cakes, cupcakes, use with shower games with these cute miniature plastic babies….