Dollhouse Dolls
I have a sizable collection of dolls that will be used exclusively as residents of the dollhouses and miniature scenes I create. Some of these dolls are vintage, some are international, some are handcrafted, and many are decorative items that can be adapted very well for miniature use. While many of my dollhouses are (as of yet) without a resident, I hope to change that over time. The one thing I won’t do, though, is put a doll in a house that does not fit the theme or character of the house itself. So, let’s get started . . .
Artisan Dolls
My very favorite miniatures are always ones created by the many talented artisans who have mastered working in tiny scale. Within this realm, I am particularly amazed by the miniature dollmakers, as creating one beautiful doll requires many skills. For instance, all dollmakers must be excellent painters to create life-life, expressive faces, and they must have excellent sewing skills to be able to create realistic, appealing costumes that drape the figure properly.
I have a particular fondness for the tiniest of the tiny dolls (see more of these further down in this narrative) . . . those meant to be the dollhouse resident’s doll. One of my all-time favorite doll makers who specializes in the teeny dolls is Ethel Hicks. The two shown below are both by her, and are absolutely exquisite.
One of my very favorite dollmakers (and I am quite proud to say, friend) by the name of Jo Medvenics (England) has mastered these skills and even gone far beyond by sculpting her dolls from polymer clay. They are, in my opinion, some of the most amazing dolls that are being created today. They are museum quality, and I am the very, very proud owner of one of them. THANK YOU SO MUCH, JO!!! This amazing doll is a “witch finder” and he is featured in the storyline of my Middleton Manor Dollhouse . Look closely at the photo of him (below) and notice the amazing detail she has included in his costume. I love his accessories . . . his hat and the book are removable, and look at that dagger – he means business! He is even more amazing in person, and I am thrilled to have one of Jo’s pieces in my collection.
Also from England (unknown artisan) is this lovely gypsy doll who is the happy owner of the Gypsy Vardo Caravan my Dad built for me.
And while the tiny doll shown in the photo below is technically a dollhouse toy doll, she is so exquisite that I wanted to showcase her with her larger counterparts. She is fully-jointed porcelain, and her creator is Tina Richardson. Look closely at her accessories . . . Tina did an amazing job on the tiny clothes and trunk!
Tiny Dolls
I love the tiniest of the tiny dolls because they can be used in two very different but useful ways: (1) They can be used as toys in a child’s room in a 1:12 scale or sometimes even a half-scale dollhouse; (2) They can be used as residents in the various tiny scale dollhouses. Believe it or not, I even have some dolls that are so tiny (I haven’t even attempted to photograph those!) they could live in one of my 1:144 scale houses!
The tiny dolls shown in this photograph are from Peru. They closely resemble the well-known Guatemalan “worry dolls”, but these are somewhat larger and a bit more detailed as well. (I’ll try to photograph some of those worry dolls & add the photos on here later).
The lovely little dolls shown below are from India. They were a gift from a co-worker who brought them back from a visit to her native land. Many thanks, my friend!
More tiny delights!
These dolls will all be used as toys in a child’s room.
Fantasy Dolls
I seem to gravitate toward dollhouses of the fantasy nature. For instance, I am currently working on a witch’s house, a fairy’s house, a leprechaun’s house, and a tree house. Those houses will all have residents in them and I am having a lot of fun making their houses “fit” them. Having a fondness for such topics, I am always on the lookout for great dolls or figures that I can use for these scenes. The dolls/figures shown below are some of the examples I have found.
(I mean, come on . . . who wouldn’t want to have Jack Sparrow around???)
And, these little ones just looked like Hansel and Gretel to me! That will be a fun house to make!
I haven’t decided yet whether these will be very convivial witches or trick-or-treaters, but whenever I do decide, it will be fun to make their scene!
This pretty little fairy came from Dollar Tree. It is just awesome how many places you can find things for miniature use! I plan to add some extra detail to her costume.
Resin Dolls and Figurines
The advent of resin dolls is relatively new to the miniature scene, but they are quickly becoming very popular as a high degree of realism can be achieved in a miniature scene by using them. These dolls are being made in a variety of attire – including many professional uniforms, varying degrees of ages, and several interesting poses that just aren’t possible with traditional dolls. Best of all, they are reasonably priced. I also use similar figurines in many of my scenes as they are easier (and even less expensive) for me to attain through sources such as yard sales and Goodwill stores.
The lovely resin maid doll on the left features handpainted detail added by my sister, Maxine Guy-Davis. The little lady on the right is being kept “as is” so that she can serve in a less affluent household.
These two figurines were just too adorable to pass up! I will probably use the one on the left in a roombox or diorama, while the little girl on the right will be perfect in the garden of one of my dollhouses.
Both of these gentlemen are named “Marty” and any of you who actually know me will get a chuckle out of that one . . .
These two are some of the new realistic resin dolls I mentioned. I used the young lady as a realtor in my Middleton Manor storyline.
Traditional Dolls
Yes, sometimes I even use real dolls in my scenes! The beautiful doll shown below was a gift from my sister, Maxine Guy-Davis. That was quite a gift, indeed, as this doll had been a gift to her decades ago from our parents and she had cherished her all those years. The impetus for my sister’s generosity was the fact that I am working on a lavish Bavarian dollhouse, and she knew this lovely lady would be the perfect resident for that house. Many thanks, Maxine! I will take excellent care of her!
The dolls shown in the photo below are vintage dolls from the world-famous German company “Caco”.
The two beautiful Victorian ladies shown below are dolls that I found a few years ago on Ebay. I find it amazing that dolls of this quality and attractiveness can be found for such reasonable prices.
And, in honor of my (now ex) brother-in-law, Oscar . . . I just had to add this adorable little chef to my collection. I can’t tell you how many times I was the very fortunate recipient of shockingly delicious meals created by Oscar, who is an Executive Chef.
Handmade Dolls
I have some truly wonderful handmade dolls, but haven’t yet gotten my best ones photographed. Having said that, however, I do think the charming little country gal shown below has real potential. When I do get around to creating her house or scene, it will be more whimsical than my usual style, but I think it will be a fun project.
Please come back to visit soon. I have some more dollhouse dolls to add here, and they are just fantastic!
Last modified on: April 7th 2013.