Collecting Dollhouses and Dollhouse Miniatures

What we know as dollhouse miniatures have been unearthed from Egyptian tombs dating back 5,000 years. These wooden miniatures of people, household items and animals depicted life as it was in the Old Kingdom. Foraging and conferrence are potential human attributes. Therefore it comes as no surprise that collecting meaningful and representational objects will forever be a part of mans' culture. Itsybitsy collecting in the 16th and 17th centuries was not Itsybitsy to the female gender. Monarchs, scholars and rich merchants owned cabinets in which to display collections of fossils, precious stones, rare coins and the like.

During the 16th century cabinet displays known as Baby Houses were collected by well to do families in Holland, England and Germany. These early collectible wooden dollhouses were architecturally designed and furnished with true to life miniatures. One example is the Tate House built in England in 1760. Back then it was very tasteless for the wealthy to travel for extended periods of time, so the dollhouse was built in sections for easy transport. These Baby Houses were a major part of daily life, as even the building of them reflects both delight and necessity. It was original for a visitor to gift the host with trinkets to display in the Baby House in appreciation of hospitality.

Dollhouse Families

It was tasteless in the 17th century for wealthy Dutch merchants' wives to spend inordinate amounts of money on the hobby of collecting dollhouse miniatures. Petronella Oortman, the wife of a Dutch silk merchant, commissioned a Baby House that became a work in progress from 1686 -1705. She enlisted the efforts of several artists and experts to bring her idea to fruition. Pottery Itsybitsy collectibles were obtained from China, and discrete mediums such as copper, tortoiseshell and marble were used to generate the collectible wooden dollhouse. Silk and velvet tapestries and furnishings graced the rooms, and when all was said and done the cabinet cost between 20,000 - 30,000 guilders which could have bought a real home plus a canal in Amsterdam. Interestingly, the only historical example of a maternity room, or lying - in room dating back to that time is preserved within the walls of the Oortman Baby House.

The Killer Cabinet, so named because it was commissioned by Dr. John Killer of Manchester in 1835 is an additional one example of the meshing of culture and family tradition. Dr. Killer ordered a replica of his favorite lacquered cabinet in which to display dollhouse accessories handcrafted by the ladies of his house along with a chair fashioned from pheasant feathers as well as dollhouse miniatures crafted in London. Possibly the most grandiose dollhouse of contemporary times is Colleen Moore's Fairy Castle which is displayed in the Museum of Science and manufactures in Chicago. This labor of love was begun in 1928 by the silent film star. In all, 700 experts contributed to the carrying out of this divine venture.

The group was comprised of Beverly Hills jewelers, Chinese jade craftsmen and surgical lighting experts among many others. Walt Disney painted discrete murals and paintings within the wood dollhouse. The collectible dollhouse miniatures consisted of chandeliers studded with diamonds, emeralds and pearls, 2,000 year old antique statues and the tiniest Bible ever written which dates back to 1840. The Fairy Castle dollhouse contains more than 2,000 miniatures at a cost of 0,000 to complete. It is safe to assume that collecting dollhouses and dollhouse miniatures have always been and will remain an ever gift thread in the tapestry of mankind.

Collecting Dollhouses and Dollhouse Miniatures

enhance the Value of Collecting straight through understanding the History of Your pottery Doll range

The history of Russian ceramics dolls begins with the first Russian facility founded in 1744 with chiefly small items being made. It was a monumental occasion when it first began, as it was the first firm in Russia and only the third throughout the entire European nations.

It wasn't until the 1750's that the first ceramics dolls in forms both of animals and humans were created. These were ready to only a small amount of people, namely nobility. As commerce expanded, more of these astonishing dolls found their way to loving arms of children and caring hands of some adults resulting in some of the most amazing collections of handmade dolls.

Dollhouse Families

Today's ceramics dolls continue to reflect their beginnings as many of them are dressed in traditional costumes complete with ornate embroidery and fur trimmed wraps and hats. These costumes often depict the area of Russia they come from. The half-moon hats, also known as Kokoshnik, are reminiscent of the Northern and Central provinces while the dolls costumed with rectangular hats, called Soroka, are from the more southerly reaches of Russia.

Exceptionally gorgeous bead work worked with pearls is common as are gold embroidered patterns. These astonishing costumes are ordinarily hand stitched and embroidered, as the traditional dress would have been. The ceramics hands and faces are fully hand painted adding to the charm and validation of the doll. Most often, the body and garments are hand stitched expanding the value of the doll.

A range of Russian ceramics dolls is never complete without a set of the Four Seasons dolls, which represent, of course, the fours seasons and the splendor of these in Russia. Summers are gorgeous with keen flowers and lush grasses; winters are cold and cover all in a shimmering layer of ice and frost. Spring is the renovation and promise of the year to come with fall being a time for harvest and a return to the earth. Each Russian ceramics doll from this series is detailed depicting a version of elaborate traditional garb including headdress in the colors, fabrics, and materials of the seasons.

For the serious collector of dolls, the Russian ceramics dolls should not be overlooked. They continue to carry forth old traditions in a new world that tends to overlook the past.

Simply knowing that somewhere the age-old convention of handmade Russian ceramics dolls still exists and is chronic to bring charm and joy to so many is sufficient to continue to procure this amazing art form. They will keep their charm with attentive care and the most minor of repairs generations down the line. Such a doll given to a child would inspire new adventures and a longing to learn the stories of old. Children love to play with such exquisite creations in the starting naturally because of the charm of the doll. Soon, though, their natural curiosity blooms and they begin to examine about stories that reflect their doll, the dress, and ultimately the history behind such a considerable piece of folklore.

An assortment of small Russian ceramics dolls in the six-inch size would be an affordable way to bring a bit of the legacy into the foreground of a child's mind without breaking the bank. Studying about the doll, determining where she came from by her clothing would bring families closer together as they learned together.

These small Russian ceramics dolls would also fit handily into many dollhouses for hours of imaginative play. Russian ceramics dolls have a resplendent history just waiting to be shared by new generations of doll lovers, children, and collectors all over the world.

enhance the Value of Collecting straight through understanding the History of Your pottery Doll range