Vintage and Antique Doll Houses

Elaborate cabinet-style doll houses, in which the rooms on one side of a structure are exposed like the shelves and nooks of a cabinet, were popular among wealthy and noble-born Germans of the 17th century. These show pieces were designed less for play with dolls than as curiosities, as they were often filled with real miniature pieces of silver, as well as porcelain dishes from Asia. Tiny chandeliers hung from ceilings, working doors with real hinges connected adjoining rooms, and mirrors hung on their walls. Chairs were upholstered, beds were covered by perfectly scaled bedspreads, and wool rugs were laid out on hardwood floors.

Early American doll houses were largely influenced by their Dutch and German forebears. In fact, by the early 19th century, German companies were exporting a great deal of doll-house furniture to the United States. As color lithography became common in the Victorian Era, the rooms of doll houses were often papered with brightly colored wallpaper, while the exteriors sometimes featured patterns resembling bricks. American companies producing doll houses on a large scale in the first decades of the 20th century include Bliss Manufacturing, Converse Toy and Woodware, Schoenhut, Tootsietoy, and Dowst Brothers.

Interviews & Articles

Baby's First Butcher Shop, Circa 1900

PETA would never approve: This grisly 1840 doll-sized butcher shop with miniature animal carcasses and a floor covered in sawdust … [more]

Antique Dolls, from Wood and Wax to Kewpie

We have a very small team here at the Victoria and Albert Museum of Childhood, so we all have to do lots of different things. I do… [more]



Best of the Web (“Hall of Fame”)

Dollreference.com

Dollreference.com

This densely packed index of antique and vintage dolls claims to offer over 10,000 images of dolls from the 1800s … [read review or visit site]

Vintage Dolls of the 50s

Vintage Dolls of the 50s

Rhonda Wilson's collection of 1950s dolls, organized by name (Ginny and friends, Littlest Angel and friends, etc.) … [read review or visit site]

Kaylees Korner of Collectible Dolls

Kaylees Korner of Collectible Dolls

Kaylee's extensive collection of vintage dolls from the 1930s to 90s. Click the balloons to browse. Though Kaylee s… [read review or visit site]

Museum of Childhood

Museum of Childhood

Embrace your inner child on this website from the Victoria and Albert Museum, filled with high-quality images and i… [read review or visit site]



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