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Dolls house

Victorian style three-storied, gable-ended doll's house with bay windows. The whole front is hinged on the left to give access to the rooms which are decorated with a selection of furniture.

The left corner bay is topped by an open veranda, with an elaborate pitched roof and weathercock.

1865-1899
Wood, metal and fabric

From the last century dollhouses have mainly been for children, but their collection and crafting became a hobby for many adults.

Dollhouses trace their history back about four hundred years to the baby house display cases of Europe, which showed idealized interiors. In this period they were not viewed as toys. Smaller dollhouses with more realistic exteriors appeared in Europe from 1700. Early dollhouses were all handmade, but from 1850 they were increasingly mass-produced and became more standard. As a result they became a significant toy of the Victorian and Edwardian nursery.

On display in the Cradle to Grave gallery at Abington Park Museum