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Dollhouse Scale Miniatures: Facts and Fancies
Story by BlueKittyMiniatures, GoldenUnicornMinis, wanderinon
Published on January 7, 2009 in Reviews 		Photo by

NJDMiniatures

Welcome to the world of collectible scale dollhouse miniatures. To someone who hasn’t discovered the wonder of a complete house in miniature, made as a scale model, the term “dollhouse” conjures up an image of a toy. However, a true to scale house and its contents is a work of art and a collector’s piece, not a toy. With Etsy's recent addition of a  Dolls and Miniatures Category, we wanted to dive into the miniatures art form, as a companion post to Art Dolls: Facts and Fancies by ladyartisandolls.

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If you look at a high quality photo of a masterfully created scale miniature room, you might not be able to tell it from a photo of a real life room! Such perfect creations are often housed in museums.
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Mrs. James Ward Thorne, English Library of the Queen Anne Period, 1702-1750
 
No detail is missed: makers often install tiny working lights. When you turn off the exterior lights in your room and turn on the interior of the dollhouse, it creates a magical effect. Viewing the house through its windows this way, you feel like a giant looking into a house at night.

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Dollhouse artists make tiny items in the same way — and often from the same materials — as their full size counterparts, including wood, glass, china, pottery, metal, fabric, etc. The miniature versions often cost more than their full size counterparts, due to the skill and time they take to make to painstakingly tiny scale. Artists sculpt food from durable materials, usually polymer clay, and plants and flowers from similar materials plus paper.



Some collectors refuse to even have dolls — scale figures, in reality — because they never quite look real or alive. Take a look at a friend or family member or someone sitting on a park bench — even if they try to sit perfectly still, they still make slight movements, such as breathing or blinking, and this effect cannot be captured by sculpted figures.

On the other hand, some people form entire collections of scale figures, including humans in costumes from every historic period or fantasy beings, i.e. fairies, witches, etc. These figures are typically made from porcelain in molds or sculpted individually from polymer clay. Occasionally other materials are used, e.g. air drying clay or carved from wood.



You don’t have to opt for an entire scale dollhouse; a single room in a diorama or a collection of individual items can give just as much pleasure if you're restricted by space or finances.

It is possible to create a moment in time in total accuracy using scale miniatures, and it’s a wonderful way to do historical research. Other possibilities for projects are modern, futuristic or fantasy settings.


Photo courtesy of http://www.dollhousecastle.com

Early European examples dating from the 17th century are usually in the form of a cabinet with shelves; these were called “baby houses“. Modern dollhouses have detailed exteriors as well as interiors; the term ’dollhouse’ also includes shops, cafes and bars. They are either open backed, which is the American fashion, or with hinged fronts, which are common in the United Kingdom. The hinged front design has the advantage of being able to be placed against a wall. Because these dollhouses are totally enclosed, they keep out dust more effectively. In the UK the term “doll's house” is used more than the American “dollhouse“.

Some collectors specialize in restoring old houses, often originally made as toys and in 1/16th scale. Modern collectors’ dollhouses can be built from scratch, from kits, bought assembled but not decorated or finished and ready to "move into."
 
Because these buildings and their contents are scale models with all measurements carefully taken and calculated to the chosen scale, a house can be furnished with items from different makers from around the world. Everything will be able to be used together — because of these shared standards — in the same way as furnishing and equipping a full size real home.

Mrs. James Ward Thorne, Pennsylvania Kitchen, 1752

Many people have difficulty with the calculation of scale. Here is a list of all the popular scales. For guidance I've included sizes for adult humans of 5 feet to 6 feet tall in each scale. The first term is the one used in the Etsy “scale dollhouse miniature” sub-category under the "Dolls and Miniatures" top level category.

One Inch -1/12th - 1” to the foot. Most popular and largest size. People 5” - 6”

Three Quarters Inch - 1/16th - ¾” to a foot. Usually older ‘toy’ houses. People 3 ¾” - 4 ½”

Half Inch - 1/24th - half scale (being half the size of the most popular 1/12th) ½” to a foot. People 2 ½” - 3”

Quarter Inch - 1/48th - quarter scale - ¼” to the foot. People 1 ¼” - 1 ½”

Micromini - 1/144th - 1/12th of an inch to a foot. These tiny houses can be used as 1/12th scale dollhouses to go into 1/12th scale dollhouses. People 5/12” - ½”

Metric conversion one inch = 24mm

Visit the blog of Etsy Miniatures in Dollhouse Scales Team (MIDS) for more info and inspiration! The MiniMakers' Team also has a wonderful flickr pool.

Further Resources about Scale Dollhouse Miniatures:
The International Guild Of Miniature Artisans
National Association of Miniature Enthusiasts
Etsy Team MIDS
Etsy Team MiniMakers

 

Dolls and Miniatures | Scale Dollhouse Miniatures | Dolls and Miniatures Posts

Tags BlueKittyMiniatures, collectibles, DAMs, dollhouses, dolls and miniatures, Dolls and Miniatures, Facts and Fancies, GoldenUnicornMinis, miniatures, minimakers, REVIEWS, scale dollhouse miniature, scale one inch, teammids, wanderinon
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77 comments     Login to add your own!

Jan. 7, 2009 at 1:42 p.m. glamasaurus

wow that penny person is amazing.

Jan. 7, 2009 at 1:44 p.m. loopyboopy

Yeah for miniaturists!!! Fantastic article with great information and images.

Jan. 7, 2009 at 1:49 p.m. TrashAndTrinkets

These are sooooo beautiful! Great article... very informative.

Jan. 7, 2009 at 1:51 p.m. Faeriedtreasures

Wow. I am in awe of the artistry here.

Jan. 7, 2009 at 1:52 p.m. myzoetrope

Mini food never ceases to amaze and delight me.

Jan. 7, 2009 at 1:52 p.m. TheSeed

I have always loved miniature anything! I have boxes and boxes full of dollhouse minis and houses in my attic, haven't unpacked any of that in the new house yet. Can't wait!

Jan. 7, 2009 at 1:54 p.m. sophiestansfield

Love those mini doughnuts! Yum! These creations really are amazing!

Jan. 7, 2009 at 1:57 p.m. BluCille

I would like the library scaled to human size that I might live in it!

Jan. 7, 2009 at 2:01 p.m. Jemjoop

Wow, awesome article MIDS Team! You did us proud *standing O*

Jan. 7, 2009 at 2:07 p.m. Sinta

What great workmanship :) It all looks so real. Very very beautiful. It must take quite a lot of patience! I want a library like that in my home :)

Jan. 7, 2009 at 2:08 p.m. PolkaDotToadstool

Hey you guys great article, congratulations!

Jan. 7, 2009 at 2:12 p.m. sugarcookie

I love it. Everything is so tiny and cute!!

Jan. 7, 2009 at 2:30 p.m. WhimsyCottageMinis

Congratulations to BlueKittyMiniatures, GUM, and Wanderinon for a great article and fabulous pics! Thanks for including a pic of my dollhouse luggage :)

Jan. 7, 2009 at 2:35 p.m. CarryTheWord

I love all things miniature!

Jan. 7, 2009 at 2:43 p.m. EirewolfCreations

These are amazing! I would swear some of them are real, if I didn't know better.

Jan. 7, 2009 at 2:43 p.m. GreetingFriends

Great article, luv miniatures!!!!!!!!!

Jan. 7, 2009 at 2:44 p.m. timesandchimes

This just screams "patience" and I have none. So I'll sit from afar and just watch the fancy people with their really neat things. :) I'm like the bad cousin who just wrecks everything. Keep me away from your baby houses!!!

Jan. 7, 2009 at 2:45 p.m. Leelinau

Wow, that is dedication!
Great article ty ^__^

Jan. 7, 2009 at 2:46 p.m. PetitPlat

Yay for Team MIDS! And thank you for that great article!
I learned a lot and enjoyed the different pictures :)

Jan. 7, 2009 at 2:54 p.m. CutieDynamite

Oooh mini food! Amazing work here!

Jan. 7, 2009 at 2:57 p.m. BlackStar

The detail is amazing!
All that food looks sooooo real.

Jan. 7, 2009 at 2:59 p.m. daniellexo

Great article! I like the title, too ;)

Jan. 7, 2009 at 3:05 p.m. MikeRowe

Nice article! Good work ladies.

Jan. 7, 2009 at 3:13 p.m. seachildcomforts

That is amazing...the detail...my goodness.

Jan. 7, 2009 at 3:16 p.m. DeskDiamonds

Wow...These little homes Look So real...Great Article.

Jan. 7, 2009 at 3:27 p.m. dinosaurcollective

You know, I bet Better Homes and Gardens use doll houses sometimes. I mean think about it. Why not?

I love these houses and the objects in them. They are so cute.

Jan. 7, 2009 at 3:30 p.m. 4TheSparrowsNest

I absolutely ADORE miniatures...I used to make them. They are so fascinating and dollhouses are so magical...

Jan. 7, 2009 at 3:31 p.m. AkumuInk

I want to live in the photo of the room with the green walls. Amazing.

Jan. 7, 2009 at 3:33 p.m. EfiaFair

I was a miniature addict when I was a teenager! This article made me happy and makes me want to start back up with collecting and building miniature houses... something tells me I'll be visiting the Miniatures section a lot now. :)

Jan. 7, 2009 at 3:35 p.m. NJDMiniatures

fantastic article BK, GUM and W! full of need to know information and wonderfully illustrated with fantastic examples of team MIDS members work!

Gotta say a HUGE THANK YOU for featuring my deli display, lamb and salami.

Jan. 7, 2009 at 3:44 p.m. theRasilisk

Those rooms look way to realistic. Very impressive.

Jan. 7, 2009 at 3:49 p.m. SheCountsCrows

Thank you, etsy, for all the courtesy you've shown
in listening to the requests of the mini-making community in the past year.

Our own category, and now storque articles!
yaay! ^^

Jan. 7, 2009 at 3:55 p.m. GoldenUnicornMinis

Thank you, Admin, for allowing this article to be published. It is much appreciated.

Jan. 7, 2009 at 4:24 p.m. LaireMarie

All of the details are AMAZING!!!!

Jan. 7, 2009 at 4:33 p.m. LushPunk

I've always loved miniatures for their cute and tinyness :)
This is an amazing article!

Jan. 7, 2009 at 4:41 p.m. girlscantell

these are incredible! really fascinating article, i love finding miniatures on etsy!

Jan. 7, 2009 at 4:54 p.m. MadeByLaura

All I can say is WOW.

Jan. 7, 2009 at 5:08 p.m. pumpkinhaus

what an amazing article!

Jan. 7, 2009 at 5:22 p.m. jasminegrove

I love mini's!

Jan. 7, 2009 at 5:39 p.m. autumnsarrival

Wow- beautifyl dollhouses! Such precision!

Jan. 7, 2009 at 5:54 p.m. dalesdreams

Wonderful article Ladies! Kudos! :) See what hard work and perserverance bring! One small step for Miniaturists, One Giant Leap for teamMIDS. Congratulations! Thanks to etsy for recognising this segment of the community and thanks for including some of my items. ;)

Jan. 7, 2009 at 5:56 p.m. dalesdreams

FYI, the asian rug has been relisted. :) Just in case anyone wanted one. ;)

Jan. 7, 2009 at 6:26 p.m. Studio618

Those interiors are amazing. A whole different world - world of mini's.

Jan. 7, 2009 at 6:47 p.m. workingforpeanuts

Awesome! I wish my home were that organized! Maybe I'll make a peanut home to make up for it.

Jan. 7, 2009 at 7:01 p.m. craftfrommyheart

What true artist. Your work is amazing.!

Jan. 7, 2009 at 7:14 p.m. christinececelia

oH! I LOVE that castle!!!

Jan. 7, 2009 at 7:28 p.m. berrybluecreations

Congratulations on such a beautifully written and photographed article. It's amazing. I NEED a dollhouse

Jan. 7, 2009 at 8:52 p.m. turningsin

Wonderful article ... exquisite miniatures ... Imagine my surprise to see my SW style pot among these Gems .. Well Done Indeed Ladies!!!

Jan. 7, 2009 at 9:48 p.m. nfall2rt

Wow, really impressive! I love miniature things...I'd love to try making one myself!

Jan. 7, 2009 at 10:30 p.m. mostlyart

Fantastic article! Congratulations everyone!

Jan. 8, 2009 at 12:19 a.m. littleredbear

woww! AMAZING!!

Jan. 8, 2009 at 2:02 a.m. LONGsART

So cute miniature items,I love them! Actually I have a cousin who is a niniature artist.

Jan. 8, 2009 at 2:04 a.m. LONGsART

GREEN BUDGERIGAR COOKIE JAR

Jan. 8, 2009 at 2:29 a.m. blueshedcrafts

I would love a 'doll house' to dress and decorate if I had the room for one. There are so many beautiful and quirky items to fill them. Stunning.

Jan. 8, 2009 at 3:42 a.m. pepperpink

holy moly! Those are so amazing! Extremely realistic.

I hear that toy stores in Japan sell miniature furniture and food and they're quite realistic as well. Surprisingly affordable too, but they come in "blind boxes" (you can only find out what you got once you purchase and open them, so it's hard to complete one series).

Jan. 8, 2009 at 9:04 a.m. vivikas

miniatures always amazed me!

Jan. 8, 2009 at 9:21 a.m. asundrynotion

Exquisite is the word! My friend's mother has been making world class dollhouse miniatures for decades and it's phenomenal to see these petite treasures in person. Thanks for this feature!

Jan. 8, 2009 at 9:43 a.m. TheBlackSpotBooks

This is absolutely insane. I love these minis. A peculiar world, recreating to such detail so small. To what end? I will be listing some more miniature books soon. If this comment is read by one who is in need of a tiny library, LET ME KNOW!!!!

Jan. 8, 2009 at 11:18 a.m. ThePower

Thank you for highlighting the world of miniatures! I love looking at the beautiful dollhouses you have shown. Although, I sculpt miniature babies to scale, I rarely see the beautiful homes they are often "living in".

Jan. 8, 2009 at 2:06 p.m. FluteTeacher

I love miniatures! So many great ideas for my dollhouse. Thanks for the scale at the end.

Jan. 8, 2009 at 2:57 p.m. SEOWebDesign

These dollhouse miniatures are so life-like. The Mrs. James Thorn Miniature Collection at the Art Institute of Chicago is awesome and a must-see for anyone who loves miniatures.

Jan. 8, 2009 at 3:11 p.m. LilWitchy

Wonderful and very informative article BK, GUM and W!!!

Thank You Administration for giving us a Dolls and Miniature Category.

I am so Happy to be a part of the MIDS Team!

Jan. 8, 2009 at 3:46 p.m. mealymonster

what incredible talent to make them so small and so real! great read!

Jan. 8, 2009 at 6:14 p.m. geminiriverrocks

I have a friend who is a social worker who presented a paper last year here in NY about the therapeutic use of doll houses. I've been collecting pieces for her as I find them. A new market for people who make these pieces, perhaps, if her theories take off.

Never mind that the miniatures shown here are just plain wonderful all by themselves.

Jan. 8, 2009 at 7:58 p.m. GoldenUnicornMinis

A quick note about the two Etsy miniature-related teams...Team MIDS and Team MiniMakers

Both Teams accept collectors as members in addition to artisans. Both Teams in their OP for each month's new thread have a list of members and their respective shop url. Both Teams have a blog and a flickr pool.

Team MIDS (Miniatures In Dollhouse Scales) artisan membership is juried.
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php...
Blog - http://teammids.blogspot.com
Flickr - http://www.flickr.com/groups/mids/

Team MiniMakers artisan membership is open.
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php...
Blog: http://www.etsyminimakers.blogspot.com
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/groups/550123@N21/

Jan. 9, 2009 at 4:57 p.m. nesaisluv

Great article! I used to be so fascinated by doll houses as a child. This article was a bit nostalgic.

Jan. 10, 2009 at 3:06 a.m. kibbles

Great article and lots of good info in it. So glad to see our obsession getting more recognition.
*smoochies*

Jan. 10, 2009 at 6:23 a.m. hanginmoon

wow, that is awesome looks realistic to me

Jan. 11, 2009 at 2:41 p.m. SoletLuna

What a wonderful article! I am so honoured to have been included in the imagaes! And thank you Etsy Admin for the addition of the Dolls and Miniature Category!

Jan. 14, 2009 at 8 p.m. WeeFolkandFantasy

Wonderful article and the photos are devine.

Jan. 23, 2009 at 7:29 p.m. MinisBySonia

Love the article, the pictures, and the featured minis! They should have to come with a warning label - "Caution, EXTREMELY addictive although not hazardous to your health (just your sanity)"

Feb. 2, 2009 at 7:44 p.m. polkadotstrawberry

Fantastic LITTLE Things!!!!

Feb. 3, 2009 at 5:11 p.m. HomeCraftedGifts

These doll houses are beautiful!

Feb. 11, 2009 at 7:35 p.m. luxandlove

I LOVE these! could be used almost anywhere
x

April 18, 2009 at 8:41 a.m. ImJewelee

BlueKittyMiniatures your creations are gorgeous. Lovely miniatures. xoxo

July 15, 2009 at 1:37 p.m. brandedbutterfly

I am getting so into this! Thanks for this article. I am waiting for my first dollhouse to arrive in the mail any day now and I will apply these lessons to my new hobby! Of course, as usual, I will still need help with the math. Math is just never going to be my thing. lol :)

July 23, 2009 at 10:36 a.m. Tina669

These doll houses are beautiful!

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