1895 Antique Doll House

I spent the weekend at my sister's and we had a happy hour or two furnishing one of her antique dollhouses with furniture from her collection.

This house was a Christmas present for a little girl in 1895 and was displayed each succeeding year near the family's Christmas tree for the next several generations. Eventually the newer members of the family discontinued this tradition and my sister was lucky enough to add it to her collection.

The house was originally built with four rooms. The kitchen was added a few years later

Prince Albert, a recently purchased Christmas decoration from the Victoria and Albert museum, is visiting.

The family is waiting in the parlour for the Prince to come down to tea. They are excited to have such a prestigious isitor.

The mother dog and her puppies are playing in the dining room. The furniture was made by Tynietoy in the 1920s. They will be shooed out if the maid catches them.

The children are playing in the nursery totally unconcerned about the royal visitor in the room next door

In the kitchen addition the cook and the maid are listening for the tea bell. The kettle is boiling so the water will be nice and hot for the Prince's tea.

My sister got this lovely tin stove at the Paris flea market last fall.

Someone has left his tools on the dresser.

This is such a wonderful antique doll's house

The family is waiting for Prince Albert to come down for tea

What could be keeping him, Mother wonders

Prince Albert is wondering why tea hasn't been announced. He is getting peckish.

In two of the  rooms there is fun and play

In the other two worry and expectation.  But I'm sure it will all work out. Thanks for visiting!

Starting the new year right. My new antique doll's house.

 Happy New Year everyone!

I am starting 2016 with a new addition to my collection.

While visiting friends in Maryland I found this beautiful FAO Schwarz Mystery House in an antique shop.

This is one of several dollhouses made in the 1890s, and sold at FAO Schwarz. No one has ever discovered who made these houses, or whether it was one craftsman or a factory. Because of this, the esteemed dollhouse historian Flora Gill Jacobs coined the term "Mystery House." The houses came in many sizes with various architectural configurations. They all share two distinctive features - tramp art trim on the exterior, and painted parquet floors.

Long ago someone painted the house white with green trim. It doesn't look bad, but I hope to be able to restore the house to its original colour.

I am not sure the roof is original to the house. It is a different type of wood and the window frames are a different shape, but it suits the house so it's okay by me.

I put in the few pieces of furniture I also found in Maryland to give the house a lived in feel. I will do a more thorough decorating job when I get the house home.

The parquet floors are intact, but will look better after a good cleaning. The tramp art trim will also look better if I can get the white paint off. It should be a contrasting colour.

I am so excited to add this house to my collection. When I saw it in the antique shop I felt as if Santa had left it especially for me. What a thrill to find and then own this rare dollhouse.

My friends' dog, Mango, supervised as I furnished the house. She is a very sweet dog.

Happy New Year and all the best to you and yours in 2016.

Nativity Creches from around the world

Last New Year's Eve I visited the The Washington D.C. Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

They had a lovely display of nativity creches from around the world. Each set was beautiful. Many different techniques and materials were used. The contrasts were so much fun to see.

I loved the little felted people and animals

The Temple is quite impressive

Beautifully painted ceramics

The grounds of the Temple were decorated for Christmas.

The Alaskan cabin was so cute with it's moose and dog sled

This set was made of glass beads

I love this Mexican set with the colourful painting. I have a similar one.

This Mexican set was beautiful too.

This set was fun.

This sweet little needlework set caught my fancy

So beautiful

Salzburg Christmas Museum

I was fortunate enough to visit the Salzburg Christmas Museum, last spring when I was on the wonderful TLC doll tour.  It was fun to see all the antique and traditional items on display.

A traditional Austrian/German Christmas is very much like ours, with a few differences.

For instance Saint Nick's companion is a horned, anthropomorphic figure named Krampus who, during the Christmas season, punishes children who have misbehaved.  Pretty scary, eh kids?

A number of different Saint Nicks with some of their odd companions named Krampus

A lovely large kitchen room box

Antique Erzgebirge Christmas Pyramids

Chocolate making in a miniature kitchen with a fancy ceramic stove

Antique Christmas music box

This is what Krampus does if you are naughty. So you'd better be nice.

Scary Krampus has some frightened maidens in his cage

Chimney sweeps were considered good luck

Wonderful antique Christmas toys

Pretty snow babies and dollies

Santa is skiing in with his pack full of presents

St. Nicholas didn't always wear red.

I love this reindeer.

Angels singing on high

Antique feather tree

A sweet little Santa

Ornaments for your tree

Lots of snow babies and more dollies

I love this reindeer too.

Is this the little match girl? I love Santa's face.

In an alcove at the back of the museum thee were several Christmas market booths in miniature

The main exhibition is made up of eleven theme sections complemented by special displays. Accompanying items and symbols of the traditional Christmastime celebrations can be marvelled at in the ‘Celebrations between Advent and New Year in southern Germany and Austria 1840 – 1940’ exhibition. What makes the exhibition extra special is that each of these works and unique items is of cultural and historical significance, and was collected by Ursula Kloiber during a period of almost 40 years.


I hope you enjoyed the tour.

Happy Holidays to you and yours.

Susan