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Small-Scale Homes ... Large-Scale Fun!
Throughout history doll houses have been the preoccupation of imaginative children as well as sophisticated adults. Like model trains, these meticulous miniatures fascinate us with fastidious attention to detail. From the connoisseur to the dilettante and the young to the old, the Wisconsin Historical Museum welcomes fans of all kinds to Doll Houses on Display. Featuring doll houses from the museum's collection and from a variety of local collectors from the Madison Area Doll Club, this event runs December 15-16 only at the museum on Capitol Square. The exhibit is free with museum admission.
Highlighting the display is a Lundby split-level ranch from the late 1960s as well as a 1952 Renwal metal dollhouse with plastic furnishings and accessories. A "Hermitage Doll House," a Victorian, a 1920s bungalow, and a Santa house will also be among those on display.
The fascination with miniature abodes goes all the way back to early Egypt, where 4,000-year-old model structures have been unearthed by archaeologists. Likely designed for the tomb, it is unclear whether children played with these homes. The modern dollhouse traces its history to the miniature houses of early 16th-century Germany. Although these fine pieces of replica architecture charmed both children and adults, they were not originally intended as playthings. In subsequent centuries American, Dutch and English makers produced popular miniatures, but German dollhouses remained the most prized pieces up until World War II.
The war slowed the production and distribution of the European doll homes and became a turning point in the industry. Postwar dollhouses were mostly mass produced in factories, and with much less attention to detail. By the 1950s typical dollhouses were made of sheet metal and their furnishings made of plastic. Though this trend marked a drop in quality, it also sharply reduced the cost, increasing the availability to less than wealthy people.
Throughout most of the 20th century, most doll homes were three-quarter scale (¾ inch = 1 foot), though that standard was largely replaced in the 1970s with the one-inch scale (1 inch = 1 foot). Common children's toys, like Barbie use "playscale," or a 1:6 size ratio.
:: Posted December 10, 2007
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