People attracted to
the dolls house hobby come in all shapes and sizes. Whether they choose
Victorian, Edwardian, Tudor or even Modern periods when buying a dolls
house, they find that they are part of a collective band of enthusiastic
hobbyists. We now live in a fast moving computer driven age where quality
and style is perhaps forsaken for cost and speed. However, collectors
can engross themselves into the world of their dolls house, and miniaturists
can re-create the finery and elegance of a bygone age. It now seems
strange that the very things that have replaced the ways of the past
i.e. fast track communications and the Internet are serving to help
those people re-create their "dreams in miniature" such
as through this website.
Maybe there lurks in every dolls house
collector a secret longing that they could have lived in an age
where they would have been surrounded by fine furniture, extravagant
architecture, exquisite design and sumptuous decorations. They would
be wearing the fine clothes as modelled by their elegant dolls
and have been served by the maids, cooks and butlers that staffed the
grand old houses of years ago - just like the ones in their own dolls
house.
Whilst it is not true of 100% of the hobby, the collection of dolls
houses is very much based around 1/12th scale. Most shops
and retail businesses supply dolls houses and accessories based
around this scale. The number of miniaturists has grown throughout the
years and now there are many collectors throughout the world, together
with a sizeable network of retailers to look after their needs. In addition
to the shops and Internet sites there are also many dolls house clubs
(throughout the UK and the rest of the world). These clubs enable collectors
to exchange ideas and enjoy together the hobby of their choice. Even
dolls house holidays exist to cater for the real miniatures enthusiast,
who just needs to get away from the world, to concentrate on the important
things in life.
Whilst the hobbyist
represents a significant percentage of dolls house owners we must not
forget that many a child wakes up on Christmas morning to unwrap their
very first piece of property in life a dolls house. Whilst they
see it as a toy the educational value (unknown to them) is great. In
their playing they will learn the fundamentals of house furnishings
and even decoration (if Mum lets them choose carpets and even wallpapers; although look out for some "interesting"
colour combinations at first). Specific ranges of furniture (made to
be both robust and safe) and also dolls make it even easier for the
child of today to create their own "play house", and to become
head of their very own household. In many cases, children who have enjoyed
the thrill and benefits of a dolls house as a child, return in adulthood
to take up the hobby for real. On the other hand, many a collector is
drawn into the hobby in order to have the dolls house that they always
wanted as a child.
Most people will be satisfied with one dolls house. However, a growing
number of people want to expand their "property portfolio"
and they either add a second or subsequent house to their collection.
They may decide on variety and opt for a shop, a pub or even create
a dolls house garden. There are also those
more imaginative enthusiasts who re-create other scenes such as schools
and churches and some base their projects on more obscure themes such
as funeral directors.