This bungalow can be seen in Issue 157 (July 2007) of Dolls House & Miniatures Scene magazine, where a full article of this bungalow can be found.

Old dolls houses come and go all the time here at KT Miniatures, and I frequently become attached to them so that when each one is sold it feels like I’m losing an old friend, but go they must as it is part of my business. Having bought this particular antique 1930s bungalow at auction I knew immediately I had something special. However what was different this time was that my husband, after having driven all the way to Yorkshire (voluntarily I must add) to collect it, returned with totally unexpected enthusiasm and a greeting of “It’s fantastic.” Needless to say we are keeping it!

HISTORY OF THE HOUSE

Ariel View

The only history we could glean when we bought this bungalow is that the previous owner had herself bought it at an auction many years earlier because it reminded her of her childhood home. She understood that it was most probably a developer’s model from the 1930s. It is too impractical and small inside to have been a toy, as you have to lift the heavy roof off to get to the interior and the quality of craftsmanship suggests that whoever made this was very skilled. There are no clues to the maker and the only markings can be found underneath which are detailed pencil measurements.

General Details Including Outside & Garage

It is constructed out of wood, measures 21” wide and 15 ½” deep and is near enough in 1/24th scale. The lower half of the outside has glorious old brick paper with a wonderful patina and the upper half has some sort of textured rendering. The lovely old roof is covered in a dark greenish/grey tiled paper but unlike the brick paper, this looks hand produced as the markings appear to be random and in black ink.

Upper Window

  In the roof there is a dormer window which opens to reveal old wiring plus a glorious old green metal switch. The lighting was updated by the previous owner with a modern day transformer however alas at the moment this does not work.

Front Bay Window, Right Side and Rear View

Windows are situated on all sides of this house, sadly one or two are missing but intriguingly of those that remain, several still open. They are truly exquisite being so tiny and delicate, glazed with strips of celluloid. On the right of the house one can just make out a faded crazy paving path and on the wall is an attractive tree hand painted onto the brick papered wall.

Garage & Mangle That Actually Works When Handle Turns

The garage is a work of art in itself with a lovely patterned floor and it even has a workbench and shelves. There is a wooden mangle with rollers that actually move when the handle is turned.

Front Door

The green front door has hand painted details with a round window in the top half, so evocative of the 1930s. This front door leads into a tiny lobby area then immediately to the right is a door into the living room area.

Living Room

Living Room View

The living room has a bay window with original lace curtains on a rod. Walls are a dusky yellow painted colour and above the painted picture rail, the wall is dark green. The floor has been given a yellowy/green paint effect to look like lino. The “tiled” fireplace is made out of wood with a clock and two celluloid vases on the mantelpiece. Built into the left recess is a wooden bookshelf crammed full with books and on the left recess is a small angled shelf with more books. Above the fireplace is a wooden mirror.

Ariel View Of Living Room & Furniture

There is a wooden three piece suite, dresser with hooks and tiny carved bottles and a wire legged table with wooden wireless. One wall has a set of three celluloid flying ducks and on the floor is a round crocheted rug. The second door leads into the kitchen. A real oddity is the tiny window that for some reason looks into the pantry at the far end, peculiar for any room but particularly for the living room!

Kitchen

Kitchen View With Range On Left

This is a spacious kitchen with lower burgundy painted walls and cream upper. The floor has been given a green painted effect to look like lino. Next to the sink is a back door and at the far end of the kitchen another door leads to the garage. For cooking there is a built in range which makes me think that this was built in the early 1930s. There are several storage cupboards including a walk-in pantry and a second walk-in cupboard with shelves.

Sink Under Window

The sink is situated directly under the window and there is even an old faded towel on the towel rail. A table, chair and tiny stool sit in the middle of the floor.  A further door leads into the toilet.

Kitchen Furniture

Toilet & Bathroom

Toilet Carved From Wood

The toilet is separated from the bathroom by another door. In fact back in the 1930s it was actually deemed unhygienic to have the toilet in the same room as the bath. There is a carved wooden toilet pan, with movable toilet seat and cistern. A toilet roll holder is fixed to the wall.

Bathroom Including Towel Rail

The décor for both of these rooms are the same consisting of a deep blue mock tiled lower half, an off white painted upper half and the floor has been painted the same shade of blue as the walls, to look like lino. The sink and bath are both carved out of wood with shaped wire for taps. On the wall is a wooden towel rail with a shelf above.

 Bedroom

A door leads off from the kitchen into the bedroom that has dusky pink painted walls and off white above the black painted picture rail.

Ariel View Of Bedroom & Furniture

All the furniture is free standing consisting of two single beds, wardrobe, dressing table with stool and finally a small fireplace.

Bedroom With Two Single Beds, Dressing Table & Wardrobe

Two pictures are fixed to the wall, one being wooden framed having the inscription “Home Sweet Home”  but the other I am inclined to think is a later addition with it’s plastic frame.

Hand Painted Rug

The flooring is varnished wood and a most beautiful feature is a rug that has been hand painted onto the floor. The colour and detail is wonderful with tiny blanket stitches painstakingly painted in white all around the edges.

Whoever created this must have been a talented artist and craftsman as it has been so delightfully produced. What I like most about this house is the amount of detail that has been put into it, far greater than you would normally see in an old dolls house, but seemingly as this was never a toy is what makes it even more unique. Also, the richness of the colours of both the exterior and interior are quite exceptional.

Hope you enjoyed looking at it!

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