Today I’d like to show you the furniture that came with my dollshouse. It is all made of wood and probably made in the 1950s or early 1960s.
My childhood dollshouse was furnished with a variety of furniture both wood and plastic. I can still remember what some of it looked like although back then I did not know who made it.
I had a wooden bed, a cupboard with shelves, and a wooden wardrobe and dressing table with a real mirror. I had a writing desk in a light coloured wood and a dining set in what was probably bakelite, an early hard plastic. I also had coloured plastic furniture. I remember a green bed with a molded on bedspread design and I think my armchairs were also plastic, possibly red.
As Naomi has been collecting dollshouses and furniture for a few years herself she learned the names of a lot of the things we had. A lot of my wooden furniture was made by a company called Barton.
These things are all made by Barton as well. Some are very like what I had while other pieces I hadn’t seen before.
A wardrobe and cupboard. I remember having a little cupboard like this one but I think my wardrobe was different. I’m sure it had a single door, curved top and a mirror inside.
This dressing table reminds me very much of the one I had although I don’t remember if I had the stool or not.
Here is the bed with its original coverlet. There were probably little sheets and a pillow originally but I can make something to replace them. When Naomi saw this photo she said “Oh you have used the TV stand as a bedside table.” I had moved all the furniture around and didn’t realise they went together but I think it works as a night stand as well. My old bed was a bit larger than this one I think and I think it had a curved headboard to match th wardrobe.
Here are a pair of chests with working drawers. I think they are very nice and I love the book case. I never had one in my old dollshouse.
In the last photo you can see the television set, a little table and part of a wooden fire surround.
Now of course I need some more furniture. A dining table and chairs and a sofa and armchairs especially as well as kitchen furniture.
I have already bought this lounge suite which is also made by Barton and upholstered in orange fabric.
Would you like to know a little bit about Barton? They were a British company who started up in 1945 making dolls house furniture. Many of their first employees were de-mobbed soldiers returning from the war.
Barton made their “Model Home” range of furniture from wood, metal and plastic. From the mid 1970s Barton used the brand name “Caroline’s Home” for their products. They also expanded into making dolls, dolls houses, miniature farm sets and garages under the name “Motoplay”.
In 1984 Barton was taken over by the Swedish company Lundby and their range was revamped. Lundby continued with the “Caroline’s Home” line until the late 1980s when the UK production company ceased but Lundby, despite several ownership changes, still makes dollshouses and furniture.
Further Reading
http://www.carolineshome.co.uk/history.htm
Dolls, Dolls, Dolls 