colonial mansion – HOUSE MINIATURES

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

**MARX Sears 1962 #4073 Colonial Mansion with a built-in FALLOUT BOMB SHELTER dollhouse**

**Patio on top / Fallout Bomb Shelter on bottom (instead of garage)**

**Fallout Bomb Shelter with wonderfully detailed illustration**. **A historical piece!**

**Fallout Bomb Shelter (rust is visible)**

**Fallout Bomb Shelter (rust on floor is visible)**

**Outside of Fallout Bomb Shelter of Marx Tin House**

**Outside of Recreational Room (rust is visible here)**

Breezeway
In order to avoid any value depreciation on the house, I would not clean it nor use Rust-Oleum.

This house model is truly a piece of our American history. Please note I no longer have this in my possession.

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/