Dollhouses were invented in Germany in the 17th century. Who invented the very first dollhouse is unclear and the branch of much debate. However, one thing is certain: Dollhouses were extremely rare and costly toys for the privileged children of aristocrats. The houses were painstakingly produced by hand out of wood, sometimes replicating the actual home in which the house lived, sometimes replicating a customary building, and sometimes consisting of a brand new architectural design.
The house was elaborately furnished with tiny versions of not only furniture but also paintings, tapestries and other wall hangings, all commonly to scale. Even full kitchen furnishings were reproduced, from teakettles to china dishes.
Doll House
Dollhouses swiftly gained favor throughout Western Europe as a must-have item for the well-to-do. Although the dollhouse was considered a "toy," the definition of a toy was far different in those days than it is today. In an era when children were seen and not heard, the children of the aristocracy were taught from an extremely early age to treat their possessions with the utmost care and respect. The dollhouse occupied a place of honor within the home and children were foreseen, to admire the dollhouse, touching it only rarely and quite carefully.
By the 19th century, the dollhouse had evolved into a more modern version of a toy. Mass output allowed dollhouses and their with furnishings to be acquired at a much lower cost. Children in this era were allowed to be children rather than tiny adults and dollhouses were considered an actual plaything. What had once been the province of the extremely wealthy now became accessible to the emerging middle class.
In the 20th century, dollhouse output underwent many changes. New materials and methods of output created a larger than ever market of dollhouses in every price range. Some dollhouses mirrored modern homes while others recalled days gone by.
The invention of plastic changed the face of the dollhouse market in many ways. Nearly indestructible, low cost dollhouses were now ready to the masses. Many children of the late 20th century received their first dollhouse as toddlers, the indestructible plastic pieces serving as great studying tools.
Nonetheless, the love of handmade ancient or ancient style dollhouses has not waned. No longer are playthings for wealthy children, handmade dollhouses are now commissioned by collectors at all levels of society. It is also possible to build your own dollhouse from a wide collection of materials, adding other level of personalization.
Dollhouses have undergone many changes throughout the centuries in terms of building materials, price range and accessibility to population at all levels of society. However, dollhouses continue to amaze and inspire just as they did when first invented. A dollhouse can teach lessons in history, architecture, interior form and decoration. It can also inspire imagination and fantasy play. From handmade wooden showpieces to mass-produced plastic houses and furnishings to Diy cardboard houses, the dollhouses of today are accessible to every house regardless of communal status, disposable income and age of children. Dollhouses have truly come to be a part of the universal consciousness.
History of Dollhouses
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