Dollhouse History

Over the last few years I have collected many dollhouse and 'miniature' books, some wonderful like the Rogers and Mulvaney and other less so. The other day I came across this book on Amazon and pounced on it. I paid almost nothing for it and it turns out it's a first edition from 1954 and one of the first if not the first book on dollhouses. It contained a certificate stating that it was sent ahead to a previous owner for reveiw so not only is it a first edition but a pre sold edition. It also contained several loose photos, rather beautiful in detail, probably taken by the previous owner of a lovely Georgian Dollhouse yet to be identified.

The book is called A History of Dollhouses written by Flora Gill Jacobs. 

This same author has written four books that I could find. 

The Toy Shop Mystery

Dolls' Houses in America, Historic Preservation in Miniature

A World of Dollhouses 

 This is the certificate found amongst the pages. 

The book begins with reference to ancien Egyptien and Roman miniature houses and goes on from there to discuss houses from the 16th century. It seems that the first Dollhouse on record is a Bavarian one dated 1558 ! 

 I have as yet not identified this house but the photos albeit in black and white are wonderfully precise and some are so clear you feel you could put in your hand and touch the furniture. 

 It's a fairly small house with only five main rooms and a stairwell but it's really lovely and neat. Perhaps the black and white rendering has made it seem more so eliminating colour does indeed enhance detail. 

 As you can see, the floors and walls are quite thick and sturdy and I like the monochrome frontage.