This is Harvey and Gertrude Carpenter who live in this cardboard house.
You can call her Gerty but don't call him anything but Harvey.
Harvey bought the house, but Gerty decorated it to her taste.
And since it was a Strombecker house, she chose
all Strombecker furniture....imagine that.
"Don't ever buy a cardboard house.
It is all but impossible to open the front door."
"What shall I fix for supper? Let's see, I have corn
flakes
and an egg frying in the pan. What's in the fridge?"
"Nothing!! There's no back to the fridge! No wonder it's empty!"
on Ebay.....♪♫ I am highest bidder♫♫♪."
Gerty's Ebay feedback is 4769.
In the evening, while Gerty snores on the sofa,
Harvey holds his book of Shakespeare's Plays.
He doesn't read it, he just holds it.
Harvey and Gerty have separate bedrooms.
"Nice to have a mirror on my dresser.
That's one handsome dude looking back at me!"
"We will see how long he gets to keep that mirror!
I need it to see my wavy blonde hair."
"It's so hard to shave while looking into a cardboard mirror."
"I am so glad I selected a Strombecker toilet!
If the lid lifted, I would probably have to clean it!"
The back and sides of the Strombecker house
where the happily married Carpenters live!
Post Script:
A reader has asked if the furniture was original to this house. My house does not show the original furniture. According to information found in Patty Cooper's The Complete Guide to Strombecker Dollhouses & Furniture 1931-1961, the house was sold to dealers with complete sets of furniture. Below is a copy of an advertisement in Cooper's book from the Cullum & Borum Co of Dallas showing this house furnished.
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Hope this answers my reader's question.
Another Great post with great photos. I saw this same model come up on Ebay not too long ago, but it went out of my price range. Your furniture and story are great.
ReplyDeleteThanks Troy! This smaller house was reasonably priced. I would love to have one of the larger ones, but they always go out of my price range also! cheers!
DeleteI love the Carpenters and their house and their very
ReplyDeletefunny human.
I was surprised Gerty didn't complain about his overalls!
DeleteThis couple is so funny! Made me laugh.
ReplyDeleteSo happy to hear that! In 2020 we need all the smiles we can get!
DeleteWhat a cute family. I hope you share more of their adventures.
ReplyDeleteI love the doll house. I have seen some Strombecker furniture used in scenes with Ginny dolls. I did not know it was also used in doll houses.
Strombecker also made doll furniture for the 6-8" dolls. It would probably be considered 1:8" scale while the furniture made for dollhouses is 1:12" and 1:10".
DeleteIt is a very nice famille. ☺️
ReplyDeleteWas all the furniture shown original to the cardboard doll house? Were there additional pieces?
ReplyDeleteNo, the furniture in this dollhouse was not original to it, There is a copy of an advertisement in Patty Cooper's Strombecker Dollhouses and Furniture published on Blurb showing the house furnished with the New Modern Furniture from 1938. I will post a picture of it at the bottom on the post tomorrow. I no longer have this dollhouse...or I would set it up for you.
Delete