Blogging for our dollhouse miniatures enthusiasts!
I was recently contacted by a magazine editor of Montecito Journal in Santa Barbara, CA. She was inquiring my blog re: Rare 1962 Marx Tin House with a Fallout Bomb Shelter. I couldn’t believe my eyes – that someone way out in California actually visited my blog!
I’m thrilled to announce the Fall Issue 2023 of The RIV magazine is published AND they mailed me a hard copy!
Please feel free to follow/subscribe them:
www.montecitojournal.net
www.themjmag.com
Instagram: @therivmagazine
More information about World’s Finest Dollhouse Miniatures Show here.
Check out National Association of Miniature Enthusiasts’ booth
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 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.
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/
It is very rare to see a 1949 Walt Disney Marx Tin Lithograph dollhouse in such an excellent condition with bright and beautiful mid-century illustrations. It has shown age but NO rust. Very clean too.
The size is 25” L; 9.5″ W and 14” H. The house had a very minor denting to the roof with some scratches here & there. A rare find! (thanks to my friend Sarah Krause!) …And it got sold fast.
I’ve never once owned a dollhouse. One day, my daughter and I found this old miniature (doll)house at the flea market in Wisconsin for $30 yet brought it home. We decided to give it an extreme makeover. Boy, was it old …and disgusting!
Of course, we gutted out everything you see – and primed it!
Our art direction: Whimsical Elf Toy Workshop / Sweet Shoppe
It was a true joy – watching both kids work on the house, painting and all! We decided to start our new Christmas tradition by adding holiday miniature decoration in the house each year.
HOUSE MINIATURES 