This wonderful old dollhouse was produced by the Rich Toy Manufacturing Company sometime during the mid to late 1930's. I have seen at least 6 different models with this same color scheme...cream walls, brown roof, stone chimney and brown shutters. This house is 32 inches wide, 18.5 inches tall, and 15 inches deep.
This dollhouse is made of US Gypsum hardboard according to Dian Zillner in American Dollhouses and Furniture from the 20th Century. The Rich Toy Mfg. houses made during this period have metal strips on the corners and roof for stability. The shutters are made of thick paper and evidently glued on very securely since they are still attached after almost 75 years!
This little house is in excellent condition; it has retained all of the silk-screened acetate windows and even the cardboard frames securing them to the inside of the house. The flowers in the window boxes are originals, and look more colorful in the pictures than they actually are!
According to Dian Zillner, the Rich Toys houses of this period had plain brown walls and floors. This house has a slick cream colored surface on the walls and floors; perhaps it was a deluxe model. Previous owners wallpapered the rooms with soft-colored paper...a pastel bouquet on the top floor and daisies on the lower floor. The original walls remain in the kitchen. The previous owners also made the kitchen smaller than the pre-drilled holes indicated; however, since they put a wonderful old plastic wallpaper on the floor that looks like 1930's linoleum, I decided not to enlarge the room.
A German Caco family live in this little house; not sure of their age, could be anywhere from the 1950's thru the 1980's. The furniture is Strombecker from the 1930's in the 1 inch = 1 foot scale.
Papa Caco reads his newpaper with an original hand-painted picture of a thatched English cottage sitting on the table behind him...a gift from my friend Stella in UK. The Governor Winthrop secretary in the corner and the Pier Cabinet (hiding behind the lamp) are part of the Strombecker "Custom-Built" line. Strombecker stained pieces are made of walnut. The red grandfather clock and the sofa, chair and footstool are from the 1931 furniture line. Yes, that's a Lundby rug on the floor!
The fireplace is also one of the "Custom-Built" pieces made by Strombecker. The tea trolley has working wheels; the drawers on the buffet do not open. The maker of the pink highchair is unknown.
Notice the great "linoleum" on the kitchen floor...and how narrow the kitchen is. My grandmother had a sink just like that in her kitchen when I was a child. The Strombecker stove has a lid that closes to cover the burners just like real stoves had in the 1930's. The stove and refrigerator with the coil on top are from Strombecker's 1936 furniture line. The metal trash can and the baker's rack are not Strombecker.
This bedroom set made of walnut is also from the 1936 line of furniture. The vanity has no functioning drawers, but the chest in the background has one top drawer that opens. The lamps on the vanity were made by Dolly Dear; all other items, with the exception of the suitcase, are Strombecker. The holes found in the floors evidently were there for an electrical connection.
This children's furniture is popular with collectors. It first appeared in the Strombecker line in 1938.
The small table and chair are not Strombecker; they came with a similar children's chest and the pink highchair found in the dining room. The maker of the baby cradle is also unknown.
Isn't this a great color of green for a bathroom set of the 1930's? I love the little electric heater sitting on the lavendar table. The wallpaper "linoleum" is also so appropriate for this little house.
I have 9 other Rich Toys houses and this is probably my favorite....mainly because it is one of the oldest, yet it is in the best of shape. The little girls or boys who played with this house over the years certainly took great care of it.
