A Little Gottschalk House

I bought this little two room house a few

years back. 
With the exception

of some very minor paint touch-up

(done by a previous owner), it's

remained in original condition.

 

The house is only 13" high to the top

of the pediment, and just 

a little over 6" wide and 4" deep.

As you can see, there isn't much

going on with the furnishing of this house,
it's still a "work in progress"!

This set of tiny soft metal furniture

is the only thing I've

been able to find that fits in it.

I was delighted when I came across the house

in the Cieslik book on Mortitz Gottschalk,

it was produced in 1924,

and made in four sizes!

The Tiniest Cottage on the Block

This is certainly the tiniest

German cottage

in the neighborhood! The interior room only 

measures 3" X 6", and

just barely accommodates 

this three Dolly tea & cake party.

 

 

 

 

Dollhouse Pyrography Bench

I had never paid any attention to the art of Pyrography

until I spotted this little bench at a local

antique shop a few weeks ago.

As an antique Christmas collector, the 

poinsettia design caught my eye first.

The back has a charming image of

a little girl handing a ball to a 

baby in a highchair. The seat

is hinged and lifts up to reveal

a hidden compartment.

At 6" wide & 3.5" high,

it's a little too large for any of my

current houses.

The Caco Family

The Caco Family has recently rented this

delightful little house here in the Hood.

They have complained to the Landlord

that the house doesn't fully fit their needs

at this time.

It is a wee bit cramped, but The Family has signed

a lease and will have to stay here

for a short while.

Mrs. Caco is especially worried about

her kitchen. She purchased the 

furniture from the Internet,

and had no idea it was

so large!

The Landlord has mentioned 

they could have access to the

extra space in the loft, but

The Family has graciously

declined his offer.

It's quite dark and dusty up there...

Their First Dollhouse!

The Toddler Twins receive their first dollhouse!

Hollyhock Garage

Technically, this isn't a dollhouse. But I

include it here because it's so similar in style,

color & time period as the two previous posts.

The little house is about 4" X 7", the

doors and windows/awnings are perforated

so they could be opened.

The base is marked: "1922 The Cellu-Metal

Corporation, Rochester NY"

What I really love about this set is the

garage and car! I have yet to find

any more like it.

The Gable Villa, 1914

Continuing my theme on posting

paper dolls houses this month,

I present:

"The Original Gable House"!

Pretty, isn't it? Well, I like it. It's

survived in near-perfect condition,

with only a roof corner bit missing, and

a few minor abrasions here and there.

I don't think it had been put together often, the

perforated doors & windows are still intact

and all of the tabs are still in great shape.

Like the house in the previous post,

this one is impractical to actually

use as a dolls house.

The only access inside is

through the back window.

Most certainly, that window

would have been destroyed quickly!

I am very fortunate to have 

remnants of the original cardboard

envelope for the house! The patent

number dates it to 1914.

I would agree with the manufacturers

that state the house is

"The Prettiest & Strongest Cardboard

House Made."

I do however, disagree that it's

"Quickly & Easily Set up".

I've never had so much trouble

putting a house together! If it wasn't for the

directions, I don't think I 

would have figured out the way that

the complicated roof pieces interlock.

I guess that's why it's in such great condition,

no one wanted to mess with it!

A Paper Bungalow

It's always fun to scrounge around in "the archives"

because I never know what I might might find there.

I had forgotten about this fragile

little bungalow, stashed

away for the last year or so. I've

run out of display space, which is

why I like these houses that can

be neatly tucked away for a while.

The house was made by the

St. Joseph Paper Box Company

from St. Joseph MO. Their

trademark is on one of the tabs,

but not a date. I'd 

guess it's from the 1920's or 30's.

The bay window is a nice touch

on this side of the house. To give an

idea of scale, the Dollies are 3" high.

I wonder if this house may have been

a give-a-way by this company?

As a dolls house, it's completely

impractical. None of the doors

or windows open. The only way

to access (the plain interior) is

to remove the entire house

from the base!

A Derelict Dolls Cottage

A few years ago, I purchased this dilapidated cottage

for only $20. Perhaps I overpaid

considering the condition!

A previous owner/tenant was not kind to the house.

The windows were crudely cut out and

pieces of lace were glued inside, covering

up the original printed drapes. There was a large 

hole cut in the ceiling as well, presumably

to hold a light bulb.

The chimney is caving in, and the walls

aren't quite as supportive as they could be.

....but how could I resist this beautifully 

printed object??

It's so detailed & delicate...and 

that garden, that beautiful cottagey

garden that circles the

entire building!

Hollyhocks at the back door!

The back wall folds down to access

the one room.

The interior is just

as nicely printed as the exterior
in a very typical 1920's fashion.
Under the roof, someone
has written "Christmas 1923".
Other than that, there isn't
a manufacturers name to be found.
And sadly, no Dollies
have decided to live here. 

Kitchen Trouble!

Polish Grandma Dolly says:

"Się, że brudny pies z mojej kuchni!!"

 (Get that dirty dog out of my Kitchen!!)

 

Tootsietoy "Roombox"

This is, without a doubt, one of my favorite

houses, or a "roombox" as I like to call it.

The designs are silkscreened onto the

 heavy-duty cardboard. The house

assembles with numbered tab & slot

construction. The back 

also has printed shrubs & window trim.

It measures about 25" wide,

6" deep and 6" high.

The Warren Paper Goods Company

made other houses for Tootsietoy, and even

though this one is unmarked,

I believe it may have been made by them. 

1915 Grimm & Leeds Folding Dollhouse

Each year, for the past five,
I've loaned a small portion
of my antique holiday collection
to the Taft Museum of Art, for
the Christmas season.
Last year, I set up my lithographed
cardboard Grimm & Leeds
Victorian house, and decorated
it for the holiday.


Not only is this house in super condition,
but it completely comes apart
and neatly folds back into its original wooden box.
Even the original mica windows have
survived undamaged!




Santa is dropping off a load
of gifts on the porch!



The house was furnished with
various German Red-Stained, and
American made furniture & accessories.
The Grimm & Leeds company
was based in Camden, NJ
and began making houses in 1903.
They produced a smaller two room
version of this house
in addition to this four room model.
The same style house was also
made with a brick patterned exterior paper.