The word dolls house is common in the United Kingdom usage, where as in the United States of America and Canada term dollhouse is used.
The world’s most famous dolls-house is Queen Mary’s dolls’ house. Sir Edwin Lutyens designed it for Queen Mary. At Windsor Castle, England, it is a tourist attraction, especially to people with an interest in miniature houses and furniture. It was made on a scale of 1:12. Everything in the house is true to life with running water, a full electricity supply and a working lift.
Dolls’ houses are available in as many designs as their full size counterparts. It may be a simple metal Triang mock Tudor houses of the 1930’s or modern doll house and replicas of various styles and architectures throughout history. In fact, doll houses and miniatures is the second biggest hobby in the United Kingdom. In the 17th and 18th centuries doll houses were generally made on commission by cabinetmakers for affluent patrons.
Open room and shop examples of miniatures made without roofs and frontages just include simple room settings such as a kitchen that can then be fitted with furnishings with all the pots, pans and moulds that would have been found in a kitchen of the period.
After having acquired a doll house, the actual fun starts in spending time in looking out pieces of the same period as the house ensuring the scale is correct. The selection is endless with wooden, plastic and metal furniture and miniatures. This hobby has boomed from the 1960’s. The doll house furniture of the 20th century is much prolific and affordable.
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