Dolls Houses

Do you know where the dolls house originated from? It's an amazing story, once steeped in history. Its humble origins lie in ancient Egypt, it came of age in Victorian times and today it's a play toy and hobby of millions. Let's take a brief look at this fascinating story.

In ancient Egypt, the Egyptians used to make minute versions of their furniture, their pets, all their items of value and have them buried with them when they died. It must have been a part of their religious beliefs assuming these items would go with them into the afterlife as many have been found in tombs.

Centuries later in Europe around the 1500's a German artisan was commissioned by the Duke of Bavaria to make a "baby house", it was a minute version of his own home. Soon wealthy friends from all over Europe who had visited the Duke began commissioning miniature versions of their own homes. These original dolls houses soon became a measure of taste and social position, as they were horrendously expensive to build often costing as much as a small regular sized house.

Enter the Industrial Revolution a few centuries later and dolls houses were now being mass produced. This meant that they soon became affordable to the middle class and they now started being used as teaching tools for the younger Victorian ladies. These exquisite and ornate dolls houses were used to develop social skills as well as to teach household management and the basics of making a house a home.

The Victorian Era was so lovely and so elaborate that many of the features of this period can still be found in the modern Dolls House. In fact you can regularly see the name Victorian Doll House or Victorian Dolls House associated with a modern but beautifully styled and detailed dolls house of the 21st century.

A typical replica of an amazing Victorian dolls house is the Melissa & Doug Classic Heirloom Victorian Doll House. Despite the 'classic' and 'heirloom' in the name it is a new dolls house. However it's still a Victorian Doll House of some distinction, with decorative detailing throughout the interior and exterior. It is a high quality wooden dollhouse with exquisite dolls house miniatures such as dolls house furniture and other dolls house accessories available separately.

The Melissa & Doug Classic Heirloom Victorian Doll House is a great value dolls house recommended for children of 6 years and up. However adults have been known to take a long time straightening up the furniture!

Elegant Victorian style has never been so affordable in the Melissa & Doug Classic Heirloom Victorian Doll House. No detail has been overlooked in the design, it's easily assembled, over all it's a wooden dollhouse of excellent quality with distinctive detailing throughout. This wonderful dolls house will make an heirloom to be cherished for years to come.