My newest Keystone of Boston doll house....

This is my newest Keystone of Boston dollhouse...Keystone #31 for me. 

This house looks a little sad, doesn't it? You probably wonder why I would buy such a sad little house....because it is a Keystone of Boston, my favorite American dollhouses!

I had never seen this little house before and had to ask friends if they thought it was a Keystone of Boston.  They concurred, and it came to live with my other little houses.

This house dates from around 1935; it is 26" wide and......

 

.....one friend brought it to my attention that it bears a resemblance to my largest Keystone house above, at 36" wide. 

 

 

In addition to the 5 windows on the front, this house has 2 windows on each side panel. The openings are not large enough to house the metal diamond-paned shutters that are found on the larger house.  It may have had plastic inserts with silk-screened mullions, possibly in similar diamond-paned design to go with the Tudor theme. 

 

It looks like it is missing window frames on the lower level, although there are no indications that there was ever anything attached.  

 

 

 

I am happy that it has the original chimney,

although they are not too hard to recreate.....

 

 

...and the original porch steps.

 

The door surround is another problem, and will require some research.

 

I am totally in love with the interior graphics in this house. I have not seen these before, although I am sure some of Keystone's  older houses probably had them. I will need to recreate the graphics on the upper and lower interior walls when I make them.

 

Yes, it is missing the second floor, but I have replaced quite a few second floors!

 

Here are some close-ups of the wonderful graphics:

 

....the green side,

 

 



 

...the blue side,

 

 

 

 

....and the wonderful kiddie-themed room!

 

 

 

I think the water stains around the lower floor will be the hardest to repair.  A friend shared with me that Mr. Clean, or other brand Easy Erasers, were good for cleaning these little houses. They are usually gentle with the old surfaces, but sometimes cause crazing in the paint. 

Update: I have found that Murphy Oil Soap is the best cleaner to use on these wonderful old houses. It is very gentle and smells great!

 

 

 

 

If you have a model of this Keystone house, or have seen a picture of it, I am hoping you will share information that will help me to bring this wonderful old house as close to it's original state as possible. Look for it again this time next year!

Update:  It didn't happen "next year", it took 4 years! You can see it here.

 



Thru the eyes of teenagers....

Earlier this year I donated a doll house to the photography teacher at the high school where my son teaches art. She enjoyed seeing a photography exhibit at one of the local galleries highlighting everyday scenes set up in dollhouses, and she thought she could develop a fun lesson for her students. She shared just a few pictures with me. I'm not sure if each scene was part of a longer story or just individual shots.
I've added some captions....feel free to make your own.

 

Don't know what they're doing, but they laugh a lot behind the green door!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbnyVZkqXlY

 

  

 

"MOM! Sally is picking on me!"

 

Hugging the porcelain throne....

 

They laughed when I sat down to play....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dC0DseCyYE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GN8VV8CHnrk

 

 

 

Taking the carpet to the cleaners....

 

 

 

Happy to see the tail-end of those little brats...

 

 

 

New toy at the home

The members of  S.A.L.(Seniors Are Liberal) group at Shady Acres Retirement Home are returning from participating in a peaceful assembly protesting what they consider their governor's war on women. They haven't felt so exuberantly political since their college days when they gathered to protest the witch hunts conducted by US Senator Joseph McCarthy, referred to by the 50s media as  the "Red Scare" and "Lavender Scare" .

 

They stop short when coming face to face with Nurse Ratched, standing with Babs and Herbert Walker who declined to join their group because they are staunch supporters of the gov....who is expressively not liberal.   

 

"Guys and dolls!" says Nurse Ratched, "I'm so glad you finally returned! I have a big surprise for you!  Take a load off and I will tell you about it! "  They just hate being called guys and dolls...and being told to "take a load off".  Just where did they find her?

  

 

Everyone finds a place to relax as the doctor starts making his rounds. Nurse Ratched continues, "My very special friend Smitty Regoola, who owns Smitty's Used Furniture, has found a wonderful glider that matches our furniture, and  we  think  it will be a great addition to the rec room.  Gliders are wonderful for any age but especially for you young ladies and gentlemen! Smitty will be delivering it very soon!"  The women hate to be referred to as "young ladies"....but the men are pleased to be called gentlemen. Smitty is a man of many talents ....we first met him when he was selling used cars, then he turned up as a private detective, now he's in the used furniture trade!

 

Smitty has his helper bring the glider into the room.....while he flashes a big smile at Nurse Ratched....and she flashes one back. She tells Smitty's helper to put the glider right where she is standing.

  

 

 

While Nurse Ratched is watching Smitty to see if he is watching her, the Pavlicek boys, triplets Peter, Paul and Marty (who still dress alike....mom would be so proud)  that we first met here , gleefully jump into the glider!  "Now boys," says Nurse Ratched, "you can't hog our new glider. Don't you think it would be nice to let the girls try it out first?"  The doctor continues to make his rounds.

 

  



"Oh this glider is perfect," says Peter.
"We had one on our front porch when we were growing up!" says Paul.
"Let us show you our favorite trick," says Marty as he and Peter scoot around to the back of the glider.

They give Paul as big a push as their 78 year old arms will let them...and as Nurse Ratched gasps...and the doctor looks for his next conquest...er consultation...

 

....Paul goes flying...just like old times! "Me next me next," pipes up Marty.

 

  

  

After all the excitement cools down, Nurse Ratched tells Smitty how thoughtful she thinks he is for donating the glider to her guys and dolls at Shady Acres Retirement Home.

 

Smitty says "You're looking good, Nurse Ratched. You're looking real good!"...and the doctor seems to be striking out.

  

Their new glider is part of the Adda-Room series made IN THE USA by Huntington Industries of Detroit, Michigan....probably late 50s or early 60s. I found this one on ebay.

In search of Rich Toys dollhouses for publication.....

JoAnn Belanger, Rita Goranson, and Patty Cooper are collaborating on a book about Rich Manufacturing  Company dollhouses and other buildings.  They would like the Rich book to be as inclusive as possible both in the variety of styles and in variations of a particular building.

If you would be interested in contributing photos to the book, please send front view photos or Zillner/Cooper book references of the buildings you have to  JoAnn at  joannbelanger@frontier.com.

Also, if you have additional information about your houses which would be helpful, or Rich catalogs or advertisements, please let them know.

If your buildings or information are chosen to be included, you will be sent a release form and photo guidelines at a later date.  Thank you for your help!

I will try to keep you informed of progress on what promises to be a wonderful reference book for dollhouse collectors.

A little bit of fun

This is the nature scene painted 

on the right side of my newest little house.....

 

 

and on the other side of the house 

is this lovely tree in bloom......

 

 

 

My newest little house is an English Amersham from the 1930-40s.

Here is the front door and the red flowers painted there....

 

 

and the greenery around the garage....

 

 

 But this post isn't about this new little house...the only connection to this little house is that i found it on eBay....as I have all but 2 of my little houses. I am addicted to surfing eBay. I can't say it is cheap entertainment because I end up buying too many things....99% of which are doll house related. 

One thing that does entertain me, and IS free on ebay, is discovering the eBay ID that other members have given themselves. And that is what this post is about. Probably because my eBay ID is so dorky, I started noticing others and it made me wonder just why I picked the one I did. But I know why, my son was visiting and insisted that I sign up for eBay that very day....little did he know what he would be starting! So this is just a little bit of fun, and if you find your eBay ID listed here, please know that seeing it made me smile!

 

....and listed in the order that I discovered them......

 

 

my dog has a big head  (probably my favorite)

U8 my fish   (sorry…)

I have a Volvo    (!)

beaches and whiners   (my friends)

Wow is that for me    (!!??!!??)

love my doo wop     (ageing yourself!)

I’m on a break    (Friends fan!)

Tight fart   (I have known a few)

automatic pile it  

holy mary 57   (a few might help…)

junq punqs

Lumpy bumpy 54   (related to me?)

Big daddys money    (hoorah for her!)

Tom dick harry

She is older than me     ( I wish!)

Yard sharks 66  

Flossy tusslepot   (author of kid’s books?)

Sam-duzz-dishes    (trained him right!)

Pinki dinki doo    (happy feet…)

Sentenced to shop    (hubby doesn’t believe it!)

Doo-da    ( my sentiments exactly)

2-crying-kids    (suck-it-up!)

Is this anything     (you hope it is)

Beantown sistahs      (Boston, no doubt)

Saving-for-an-Aga      (only in UK!)

Goodys to go   (that’s what I was afraid of)

Human beer filter    (from Australia no less!)

Aunt-cranky     (everybody has one)

Buy play sell      (the “play” part is the best)

Stuff-2-dust      (NOT a marketing ploy)

Needful stuff      (sees right thru me)

Bid on me 2 win    (for the intellectually challenged)

Ki$$ it good buy     (good attitude)

Just like Carla Bruni

Rednexxs     (couldn’t possibly be from Texas!)

Friggin win this     (needs a sale badly!)

She was tempted to cause a scene     (aren’t we all at times!)

Lambs i divey     (a kid will eat ivy too!)

Like I need more junk    (right!)

Everything stopped for tea

Sik of worken     (retirement IS wonderful!)

Out our way   (down in the boondocks)

I didn’t do it     (neither did I…)

Why not shop with me    (a bit of marketing there)

I be sellin 1     (you hope you do!)

its going 2 b mine 2

we got stuff too      (good for you!) 

junk whisperer      (and I hear them!)

The basement troll      ( I know her!)

OJs mama

mr nutball      (no comment)

and an eBay store name

........formerly mine and potentially yours 

        (and much too often for me!)



a Happy Valentine's Day to You!

Royalty is coming to the Village

Deep in the Jasmine Forest is the home of Lady Constance...in the small Castle of Keystone. It is quiet and peaceful in her secluded home....actually, Lady Constance thinks it is getting to be quite boring.

 Do I see someone coming thru the leaves and brambles  toward us?

 

 

 

I do, I do! Wonder just who it is....

 

 

 

Could it be, could it actually be....

 

 

It is!! It's Lady Constance herself!

 

   

 

Is she waiting for someone....a secret rendezvous perhaps?

  

 

 

This exquisite porcelain doll is the creation of an extremely talented artist, Diane Taylor, of LaBohème Dolls. All of Diane's dolls are a one of a kind creation....from pouring the slip to painting, wigging, and the final stitch on the original creation each doll wears. Although the doll house sized dolls are my favorite, Diane makes other sizes...13", 18", and 22".  You can see some of her 5.5" doll house dolls in this gallery.   Diane will create these dolls for you, or she will custom make these lovely dolls to your specifications.

 

 

 

  

Lady Constance is Diane's creation and I am in total awe of her attention to detail in this beautiful period piece costume.  I mentioned to Diane that I liked the Tudor period of England, and she came up with this fabulous creation.....

 

 

 

...with the exquisite detail extending from her delicate headpiece down to the diamond rings on her fingers.

 

 

Another line of Diane's is her Gypsy Hollow Creations, one of a kind original figurative sculptures.  In her Topo Pòpolus series, my favorite is Saladmae, an exotic salad dancer/caterer....maybe it was the bucket of brownies she had with her that made me like her best...but Mary Queen of Scotch was a close second! Diane will even make a sculpture of your favorite pet dressed in a costume depicting his personality....see well-loved special pets at Strange Beasts.

  

Lady Constance has decided it is time for her to create a life for herself outside of the Jasmine Forest. She instructed her lady-in-waiting to pack her trunks and call for her coach to take her to the Village.

 

  

 

She turns to take one last look at her ancestral home....and hopes that her entourage will be along soon with her trunks....before the carriage arrives.

It's getting dark, where are her trunks and that darn carriage?