The Fold-Away Dollhouse and Playbook of Cut-Out Furniture

I'm sure most of you have seen this fold-out dollhouse made in book form for sale on Ebay or Etsy. It was published in 1949 by Garden City Publishing Co. of Garden City, New York, with artwork by Catherine Barnes. It came with a playbook of small furniture to cut out. But, like with many toys of that era, additional parts are most often missing. 

The first of my two books came without the small furniture. I ended up furnishing it with Renwal and Ideal plastic furniture that was made at the same time the fold-away book was published. It was the first item I ever sold on Ebay!

My second book came with furniture already cut out.  That is what I will be showing you....a fold-away dollhouse with cut-out furniture.  

The book opens to show graphics of the back of the house 

plus a diagram of how to set up the book as a 3 room dollhouse.

Opening further, we see additional graphics 

of the back side and a floor for the nursery.

Following the diagram, the book sets up to show three rooms. 

A nursery, or child's room...

...a dining room or living room...

...and a kitchen.

Furniture was supplied for a nursery, a dining room, and a kitchen. 

It is on a smaller scale than the rooms themselves.

The nursery has a crib, a dresser or chest, a rocking horse,

 and a play table with two chairs. 

All the furniture is put together with slot and tab design. 

Missing from the nursery is a small duck on wheels. 

According to an original uncut book that accompanied this foldout dollhouse, the small duck is the only piece missing from this set.

The dining room is furnished with a large dining table 

holding a bowl with a turkey, 3 high back dining chairs 

and a hutch with dishes. 

This room also holds a TV (with a screen large for 1949!),

 2 side chairs, and 2 end tables. The two chairs belong to the kitchen set. 

In the kitchen we find the 3 necessary appliances..

.fridge, sink cabinet, and stove. 

A small kitchen table with 2 chairs completes the furnishings. 

For the dining room,

additional pieces used in the dining room, 

furniture for the nursery, 

and furnishings for the kitchen. 

Did you notice that all the furniture is in shades of white, blue and pink? 

The backside of the house is also attractive,

with windows that open.


The interior has 2 doors that open connecting the 3 rooms...

nursery to dining room, 

                                 and dining room to kitchen.                      

The back of the book

shows the diagram for assembling this little house

and more artwork from Catherine Barnes.

For fun, I have furnished this fold-away dollhouse 
with other dollhouse furniture produced 
about the same time as the book.

Shown here with Ideal plastic furniture

with Plasco plastic furniture

 with Kage wooden and upholstered furniture

with Strombecker wood furniture

and even vintage Lundby furniture!


If you see this little fold-away dollhouse for sale on Etsy or Ebay, 
give it a chance to bring fun and smiles to your life!

A reasonable price for this unique little dollhouse without the furniture

 is $30 USD or lower. 

For Rent: Mid-Century Modern Dollhouse

Gordon and Vivian Lesatz fell in love with this mid-century modern house at first sight. They bought it straight out of the 1945 Montgomery Ward's Christmas catalog. They were impressed that the house was constructed of the finest kiln-dried plywood from surplus pieces of materials used in government housing. They thought this smart and modern design was a preview of the home of tomorrow and that it would be the perfect home for them. 

A friend took a picture of them standing in front of their new home.  

They didn't care for the Nancy Forbes furniture that Wards was selling to furnish the house, so they went straight  to the Strombecker Furniture store and selected some lovely modern furniture. Vivian would like you to see it...

 

The dining room set, in a lovely salmon color, was first available from Strombecker in 1938 as the Modern Colonial Dining Room. Even though the design was 7 years old, Vivian thought it was perfect for her new home. 

And of course she wanted the whole set including the high boy Dutch cabinet, the buffet and the server along with the dining table and chairs. Wanting to please his wife, Gordon agreed. 

For their appliances, Vivian and Gordon selected three pieces from Strombecker's 1959 line. Don't ask me how they did that, but Vivian was happy she didn't have to cook for 14 years.

 

For their living room, Vivian and Gordon selected a flocked green davenport and chair sold by Strombecker in 1938,  individually boxed. As with her dining room furniture, Vivian thought the older design was perfect for her modern house. 

Then from Strombecker's 1938 Modern Living Room set, Vivian selected the fireplace mantel, the coffee table with a stacked design, the open-ended side tables and art deco radio... in "poudre blue"...to go with her green flocked seating. 

The three-tiered shade floor lamps were part of the same set.

Gordon selected Strombecker's yellow bedroom set from the same 1938 line along with the repainted aqua vanity stool and chair...then added  the bright art and bed covers. 

 Vivian is still tight lipped about his selections. 

She did, however, like his choice of the lovely picture of flowers.

Now at retirement age, Vivian and Gordon have downsized and put their lovely home on the rental market....and rented it immediately to Drs. Callum and Finella Berwick who are on a year long sabbatical from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland.

Vivian insisted on taking this photo of Finella and Callum to help them remember their stay in America. 

The Berwick's made a trip to the Ardee Plastics Rental store and quickly selected some attractive Ardee furniture from 1946 along with some Plasco brand kitchen appliances.

They were disappointed to learn that none of the doors on the buffet opened....

nor the drawers or doors on the Plasco appliances! 

They did, however, find the "sling" dining room chairs to be very comfortable for seating. 

The plastic seating they chose for the lounge was quite comfortable...

even though the lamps seemed a bit warped.

Finella was very pleased with the seating arrangement for their new lounge.

They selected two beds for their bedroom and Ardee Plastics Rental provided them with original cardboard bedspreads...one in pink for Finella and a blue one for Callum. 

Also a chest of drawers with non-opening drawers and a chair to throw their clothes on. 

Finella even had her own little vanity and Callum had a floor lamp for when he wanted to sit quietly and read.



When Finella and Callum returned to Scotland, this little house was once more up for rent. 

Drew and Roberto jumped at the chance to rent this mid-century modern house they thought would be a great showcase for their collection of Lincoln Art Deco furniture. Vivian stopped by to take this picture of Drew and Justin for her album of renters...she now has two pictures in her album. 

Drew and Roberto's art deco furniture was made in 1936-1937 by J.L. Wright, Inc., of Chicago. This firm was also the maker of the popular Lincoln Logs they played with as a child.  

The guys thought the kitchen/dining room was a great space for entertaining their friends...

..until they discovered they couldn't open the refrigerator door. 

They thought the table that would seat up to six was just perfect!

The piano is Drew's...but Roberto plays his keyboard....his computer keyboard that is, and very very well. 

The Eiffel Tower on the table is from Drew's visit to Paris, where he sampled French cuisine....in a Mexican restaurant. 

They often lounge, sipping booze, while listening to their very fashionable art deco radio....

....that's when the two sofa's come in handy!

 Oh, there is Carlos the cat playing with his ball in the bedroom. 

Let's see, they have a blue bed and a red bed, a different shade of blue Miniaform bedside table and pink chest....

....and a bright pink vanity and stool...what a mishmash of  furniture!  They will be happy when the dollhouse lady finds a matching set for them. 
If you have noticed that the guys have no Lincoln table or floor lamps, IT'S BECAUSE MY FRIEND GEORGE BUYS THEM ALL BEFORE I CAN FIND THEM!

When the guys moved into Drew's art complex he had been building for several years, Vivian wondered just who would next get their picture in her album.

OMG! It's Professer Huntley Castleton and his student Fern Lundgren from Sweden. We first met them at his brother's house in A Mail Order Bride for Harry, Part 3. So, Vivian gets to add another picture to her album of renters.

Looks like Fern had her Brio furniture shipped from Sweden to the love nest she will be sharing with Huntley. 

Both Huntley and Fern were delighted that there was enough room in the kitchen for their Lisa of Denmark bar...

....and also that the drawers and doors of their Brio appliances  opened!

Their table has one side to extend in case they invite someone to dinner....when Fern learns to cook.

Huntley admires Fern's excellent choice of modern furniture...

  

...with storage, room for his books and even his old typewriter.

Fern even brought a comfy chair and ottoman just for Huntley.

Fern chose a double bed....hope Huntley doesn't hog the covers!

Wonder if that big soft zebra-striped Lundby chair is for Fern or for Huntley...or both of them together.

    

I think we can assume the vanity is for Fern....to help keep herself beautiful for her professor. 

Here is a copy of the page from the 1945 Wards catalog showing the house, which sold for $5.95 unfurnished, and the Nancy Forbes wooden furniture they suggested to buy along with the house....

   ....and the description that accompanied the pictures. 

I have shared this house with my friend who writes the Dollhouse Shenanigans dollhouse blog. Check her blog soon to see how she decorates this unique little dollhouse!