An 8.5 million dollar dollhouse
#21
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Join Date: May 2012
Location: Central Wisconsin
Posts: 4,391
We were in Chicago mid November and went to the Chicago Art Museum. They have a whole section of miniature rooms. There are rooms from many states, countries and many historical periods. I spent a lot of time in there, and would like to go back.
#22
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Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Central NY
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#23
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Dallas area, Texas, USA
Posts: 3,050
There are more pictures and much more information on Wikipedia, in case anyone is interested: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astolat_Dollhouse_Castle I wish I knew more about the woman who created it. The one in Chicago was more of a collection brought together by a Hollywood actress, who could afford to spend her money any way she wanted, and the other famous dollhouse was literally built for a queen, so it's easy to understand where the money came from. Queen Mary was known to visit around the countryside in her quest for unique miniatures, but as far as I know neither she nor Colleen Moore made any of their own minis. The Astolat house is much bigger than either of those, and some of the items in it must have cost a bundle. I'm glad to know it wound up in a museum where many people can enjoy it, and the money collected from visitors helps to justify the dollar value that is placed on it, since a lot of the proceeds are donated to charity.
Found another link with a slideshow: http://creatingdollhouseminiatures.b...ine-diehl.html
Found another link with a slideshow: http://creatingdollhouseminiatures.b...ine-diehl.html
Last edited by Rose_P; 01-09-2016 at 08:14 PM. Reason: Additional information
#24
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Join Date: May 2012
Location: Central Wisconsin
Posts: 4,391
Thanks, Rose_P. Those are beautiful pictures, but they don't really convey how small those rooms are. In the Chicago Art Museum, the display case is not much more than two feet high. And what I thought was really cool was that you could see into the next rooms or look out the windows and see the courtyard or garden.
#25
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Dallas area, Texas, USA
Posts: 3,050
Thanks, Rose_P. Those are beautiful pictures, but they don't really convey how small those rooms are. In the Chicago Art Museum, the display case is not much more than two feet high. And what I thought was really cool was that you could see into the next rooms or look out the windows and see the courtyard or garden.
Also on display in Chicago is the large Fairy Castle that belonged to Colleen Moore. It can be seen at the Museum of Science and Industry. http://www.msichicago.org/whats-here...s/fairycastle/
I sometimes visit a miniatures forum called "Small Stuff Digest" and it is there that I learned about these magnificent minis. I really should try to see them in person sometime. In about 2002 I bought a rather slummy dollhouse at a garage sale and started renovations. It's not done yet, but I've been tinkering with little things occasionally ever since.
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