In 18th Century England “the baby house” was
introduced and was often a replica of the owner’s own
home; it served as the toys for a young girl’s doll (or
“baby”) and these houses were constructed to scale
with fine attention to interior and exterior details. The
English versions of the dollhouse spread to the new
world; significant American dollhouses have endured
and provide a glimpse into life in a new country and
culture. Into early 20th Century dollhouses created in
the US were modeled do depict new trends in
contemporary American home design, the suburban
expansion movement, and often functioned as a
symbol of one’s dream home. These classic American
dollhouses were intended to encourage hours of
imaginative play and creative expression. Clearly,
despite time period and cultural origin, the furnishings
and decorative contents of these miniature houses
provide a glimpse into the domestic ideals of the
creator, user and serve as an expression of one’s life,
loves, aspirations, social position and personal points
of view.
Door by
Ichiyoh H
aga
homas
Photo: D. T
Pottery by Craig Roberts
AKA the Hairy Potter
Photo: D. Thomas
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THE CONE - ISSUE #5 - SUMMER 2015