Blogging for our dollhouse miniatures enthusiasts!
I visited the Banta House at Arlington Heights Historical Museum to check out the permanent display of Lorraine F. Korenthal’s dollhouse collection. They were beautifully done. Each stunning detail you see has its own story.
The Victorian Home by Lorraine F. Korenthal
The San Francisco Style Townhome by Lorraine F. Korenthal
The General Store by Lorraine F. Korenthal
I went to Arlington Heights Historical Society Museum to check out their dollhouse collection. They took place at Banta House – more information here.
Before I go ahead and share the pictures of the dollhouses, their wooden miniature model of Arlington Heights Train Station really caught my eye!
It is believed the actual Arlington Heights Train Station was built in 1892 between Dunton Avenue and Evergreen Avenue. Here is the postcard photo of the AH train station — and a wonderful photo cover of this book!
Also, I’ve found a signed giclee print of Tom Lynch’s watercolor painting of historical Arlington Heights Train station! A neat find!
CAN’T WAIT!! MORE INFO HERE.
I could not believe it – I actually found a rare MARX Sears 1962 #4073 Colonial Mansion with a built-in FALLOUT BOMB SHELTER Doll House on FB — for only $75!
Obviously, that seller didn’t know the history or its true value… let alone one of the rarest of all MARX tin dollhouses! The ONE with the illustrated fallout bomb shelter instead of a plain ol’ garage.
President John F. Kennedy has advised American families in 1961 to build bomb shelters to protect themselves from the possibility of atomic fallout as a resulting factor determining the Cold War. Many built bomb shelters within their homes soon after.
This particular Marx dollhouse model was produced in limited quality during 1962 for only one year. Unfortunately, it was not a big seller. So as a result, it is extremely difficult to find them today.
It is truly a piece of history with rare features:
1. Fallout Bomb Shelter (with a first-aid kit, emergency items, etc)
2. Patio above the bomb shelter
3. Breezeway
4. Recreational Room
5. Bay window front
6. Dutch entry door – it is missing the actual door.
7. Chimney on roof remains intact
This house model is truly a piece of our American history. Please note I no longer have this in my possession.
Found a 2-Story (Spanish Style) House in such an excellent condition without any rust. The front door and all of the windows remain intact.
Bright colored illustrations. • 1st floor has kitchen, dining room & living room • 2nd floor has master bedroom, bathroom, nursery & a patio • 28″ L x 12″ W x 16 1/2″ H
Mystery solved! This one is a 1978 Assemble-By-Number 8 Room Wood Dream Dollhouse Kit with 26-piece furniture set!
I found this beautiful antique dollhouse in an older town of Evanston, IL.
Dimensions: 30″ H x 36.5″ W x 18″ D.
I asked Ann Meehan the dollhouse expert via email about this one. She replied that Dian Zillner wrote a number of books dealing with commercial and homemade houses. After finding a section in the books, Meehan dated it in the 1930’s – 1940’s as they were hard to work with open back houses – if you push them against the wall.
As much I wanted to give it a deep cleaning or give it a fresh coat of paint, it will only diminish the value and its true history.
I often wondered who the original owner was – and whatever happened to him/her. Because of the beautiful green & gold Art Deco floorings, was she from Europe? Ireland maybe?
Please feel free to comment – even I no longer have this house.
I bought this beautiful antique wooden lithograph dollhouse for only $50 via Facebook Marketplace in 2018. After my visit at the local library, it was an authentic R. Bliss – Colonial Mansion circa 1910. Unfortunately, the owner who sold it to me didn’t know the true value as it was left in their barn for years.
Because of extremely delicate illustrated paper lithograph (glued on wood), I had to gently clean every nooks and crannies by using dry soft toothbrush and Q-Tips. No water!
I contacted the dollhouse expert Ann Meehan and she thought it was a great find! She said if I put this on display at a miniature/toy show or eBay — it could bring about $500+. She suggested me to put it on eBay instead of an auction house (like Dan Morphy’s auction) because they (the auction house) would sell it at any price it brings and I’d have no control. Good tip!
The director of The Great American Dollhouse Museum in Danville, KY (https://www.thedollhousemuseum.com) has shown interest in having the dollhouse take part of their collection. But they would ask us to donate it.
So I ended up selling it for $550 on eBay – to a R. Bliss collector.
More information about R. Bliss Manufacturing Company: https://www.causeafrockus.com/2019/02/mini-history-of-r-bliss-manufacturing-co/
HOUSE MINIATURES 