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The interior of the Nuremberg House is filled with well-made miniature equipment in remarkably good condition considering that most of the contents are contemporary with the house. It is plain in construction with two bedrooms upstairs, the one on the right also serves as a sitting room. Downstairs are two kitchens, the best kitchen and the working kitchen
Toy Story An exhibition chronicling 300 years of dolls’ houses opens this month at the Museum of Childhood. Halina Pasierbska goes behind the scenes of three of the earliest examples THE EARLIEST-KNOWN BABY HOUSE (meaning ‘small house’ or ‘dolls’ house’, in German, Dockenhaus or Puppenhaus) was made in 1557–8 for Albert V, Duke of Bavaria, as a cabinet of curiosities for his delight. Popularly known as the Munich Baby House, it was an impressive four-storey house, a copy of one of the many elegant ducal residences of the time. It was built and furnished by skilled craftsmen as an art cabinet in the shape of a building and filled with precious items. At that time its purpose was not just a way for rich men to display emblems of status and 30
wealth, the dolls’ houses also had a didactic purpose. Leonie von Wilckens, author of Mansions in Miniature: Four Centuries of Dolls’ Houses (1980), tells us that so great was the demand for instruction in domestic skills and the management of wealthy households that several guides were published after the invention of printing in 1492. These ranged from pattern and embroidery books to volumes on the running of the home. However, since few girls were able to read, the dolls’ house provided an excellent visual aid for servants and young women.
Going Dutch The early Dutch house differs from its German counterpart in two important respects. Firstly, the Dutch were far less interested than the Germans in the didactic possibilities of miniature households; secondly, the tiny households were often set up in cabinets. With its doors closed, the cabinet, usually on a stand, appeared to be nothing more than a piece of furniture, of the type that might contain linen or coins and other such treasures. Expanding trade with Asia and America had seen the rise of an increasingly large class of wealthy
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bankers and merchants, enabling their wives to indulge in some conspicuous consumption. It had become fashionable to collect expensive toys and trinkets for their cabinets. Miniatures of household items were commissioned from craftsmen and professional artists at great expense. Like Renaissance collectors’ cabinets of curiosities, or Wunderkammer, with their emphasis on the exceptional, the rare and the marvellous, these were grand statements proudly shown off to admiring visitors. British baby houses By the middle of the 18th century, the British had developed a taste for the architectural style of the baby house, that is, the miniature house as a small building rather than a cabinet or cupboard. The early British baby houses were made mainly by carpenters and cabinetmakers, usually for adults. Most of the contents
Below. The best kitchen of the Nuremberg House was the room where family and friends would assemble to enjoy hospitality in pleasant surroundings. The impressive display of pewter dishes, flagons and tankards sparkled in the candlelight. In the left-hand corner at the back is a surprise, a privy, a raised wooden structure with a hole in it.
Above. One of the earliest existing dolls houses in the world. The Nuremberg House dates from 1673 and, with its four bedrooms is representative of the period
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were created by craftsmen who specialised in a particular trade, and there were even silver utensils produced by silversmith toymakers. At first these items were imported from Holland, where they had been manufactured for some time; in England they were not readily available until after the Restoration in 1660. Furnishing the baby house grew into a fashionable new hobby in Britain throughout the 18th century. Luxury pieces were commissioned but cheaper items could be purchased from makers and vendors of trinkets and novelties.
consequence examples of such work are relatively rare. In Germany traders such as Eduard and Louis Lindner had begun to make use of sample books and catalogues to market their wares, which made it easier for salesmen to travel from fair to fair and also facilitated selling items abroad. The V&A Museum of Childhood has a rare catalogue of sample pages produced by Eduard and Louis Lindner dating from 1840–2. The German agent Georg Bestelmeier produced a catalogue of toys in 1803, which included illustrations of wood and metal furniture, kitchen equipment and tiny wire chandeliers. The most well-known of the German firms was Schneegas, later Gebruder Schneegas & Söhne (known as Waltershausen), which made good-quality furniture originally plain in style but later with the bone and ivory inlay and gilt transfer decorations that make it distinctive. Rock & Graner (c.1813– 1904) made tin-plate furniture in a colour meant to simulate mahogany.
The 19th century Dolls’ houses from this period exude an aura of prosperity, equipped as they are with fine furniture and the latest wonders of domestic technology, all in miniature. As the century progressed it became possible for a greater number of people to buy dolls’ houses and their furnishings for their children. Small family businesses in Germany and Britain competed with each other to The Tate Baby House is a classic brick construction, which comes apart for ease of travel, with a stand that was added in the early sell their products made by families The Nuremberg House, 1673 20th century in their homes, often in desperate The oldest house on display at the circumstances. These items could be exhibition was made in Nuremberg considerable profit. Fragile in nature, bought at markets but many were sold in 1673, the date being inscribed on the they tended to fall apart and as a to agents who then sold them on for chimney. It is very like four 17th-century houses in the Germanisches Nationalmuseum in Nuremberg: the earliest dates from 1611, and another, known as the Stromer House, is dated 1639. The other two are from the late 17th century: the Kress and Baumler Houses. These are all large buildings, the size of wardrobes, complete with maids’ rooms, attics, stables and all the other items necessary for a well-equipped 17th-century Nuremberg home. This example (previous page) is very small in comparison but has four rooms that are representative of what one would expect to find in a home of the period. These houses may well have been aspirational, but records indicate that their principal purpose was to teach the ladies of the house, both mistress and servants, how a well-run home should be organised. As visual aids they were important as few women could read and those who could were restricted to religious material. Miraculously, many of the contents that are contemporary with the house have survived. The metal stars and dovecotes on the roof are unusual in With its doors wide open we see four spacious rooms – two bedrooms on the upper level, the Tate dining this respect as they have been lost from and drawing rooms downstairs – and the kitchen and scullery in the basement. Continuous redecorating other houses. The façade is also in good over the decades has changed the interior but the mantelpieces and cornicing have remained intact 32
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Above: The Tate dining room has a masculine feel to it with its wood paneled walls. This room contrasts with the more feminine atmosphere in the drawing room
condition, made from pine with a simulated stone appearance. The house was originally purchased in 1871 from a Herr A. Pickert for the Science Museum’s Educational Division before eventually being transferred to the V & A Museum. Through the key hole The interior of the Nuremberg House is filled with well-made miniature equipment in remarkably good condition considering that most of the contents are contemporary with the house. It is plain in construction with two bedrooms upstairs; the one on the right also serves as a sitting room. Downstairs are two kitchens: the best kitchen and the working kitchen.
Inside the left-hand door is this head of a unicorn (which has lost its horn) indicating the house belonged to an apothecary. A larger house would have included the pharmacy on the premises as merchants and professional people often conducted business at home. Security was an important feature and a substantial lock and bolt were necessary. A magnificent bell hangs above the front door. On the inside of the right-hand door is this picture of Martin Luther, the 16thcentury German theologian whose writings inspired the Protestant Reformation. Luther’s picture and the hymn and prayer books in the bedroom tell us that the house belongs to a Lutheran family.
The Tate Baby House, 1760 The Tate Baby House is said to date from about 1760 and is one of a group of six internationally-known British baby houses. It was modelled on a Palladianstyle town house and made by a carpenter or cabinetmaker. It is possible that it may have belonged to a Cambridge family who made their fortune in the seed trade. The house passed down through the family from mother to daughter and is named after its last owner, Mrs Flora Tate, who died in 1929. It is a classic brick construction, which comes apart for ease of travel, with a stand that was added in the early 20th century. It has several original features including a balustraded double staircase leading to the first floor, which had never been seen before in a British baby house, a striking Venetian window that still opens, and a fine internal staircase. The house is comfortably furnished although some of the accessories are later additions that live harmoniously with original pieces such as the Dutch-style candelabra. Inevitably it has undergone a number of other changes: the furniture and decor were updated in the 1830s and at least twice thereafter. The house’s first windows had glazing bars, which would have given them their authentic 12-pane appearance instead of the two panes that were popular in the 19th century. A painted window on the side of the house shows what the windows would have looked like before later ‘improvements’. Inside view The Tate Baby House has four spacious rooms – two bedrooms on the upper level,
The Tate kitchen was originally equipped with all the ‘batterie de cuisine’ that an 18th-century kitchen would have had
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Peggy Lines’s house has a mock Tudor façade and was made in the style of Lines Bros Ltd’s Mayflower range
the dining and drawing rooms downstairs – and the kitchen and scullery in the basement. There are little peepholes at the back of each room. The kitchen was originally equipped with all the ‘batterie de cuisine’ that an 18th-century kitchen would have had. A particularly fine dresser (not visible) presided over the back of the room on which dishes, candlesticks and jugs would have been displayed. On the floor are some of the silver and copper utensils which have survived the centuries as well as a number of ceramic pieces on the table. The kitchen also has a rack for cooking spits above the fireplace (not visible). There were many jewellers and ‘toymen’ who sold miniature trinkets or toys (meaning ‘trifles’ or novelties) such as these ceramic owl jugs. Especially popular in the early 18th century, they were very acceptable gifts for ladies who had a doll or baby house as a hobby. The fashion for these trinkets was particularly strong in Britain and Holland.
Peggy Lines’s House, 1930s This two-storey house was a special gift to the third child and eldest daughter, Henrietta Katherine Peggy Lines, of Walter Lines who was the joint founder and chairman of Lines Bros Ltd. It is thought to have been designed in the mid-1930s, probably at the Lines Bros factory in Merton, London. It has a mock Tudor façade and was made in the style of Lines Bros Ltd’s Mayflower range, which first appeared in its 1928–9 catalogue. It has a white painted strippled effect and fashionable metalframed windows. Lines Bros Ltd was a leading toy manufacturer of the 20th century. It acquired Meccano Ltd in 1964 and one of its most fruitful ventures was the acquisition of Hamley’s famous toy shop in 1931. Peggy became chairperson of Hamley’s in 1962, and in 1970 also became joint managing director. Lines Bros Ltd owned the shop until 1977. The furnishings for the house
In the ’30s kitchens were in the process of becoming more minimalist, the opposite of the cluttered Victorian examples
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were commercially made by a number of different makers and range in date from the 1930s through three generations of play up to the late 20th century. Included are furniture pieces and sets by Lines Bros Ltd, Elgin Ltd, Pit-a-Pat, Dol-Toi Products and Sylvanian. Interior view The dining room contains some items of furniture by Elgin of Enfield. Eric Elgin set up in business in 1919 with his two sisters making miniature furniture in dark solid wood, which was much favoured by Queen Mary who bought many pieces. Originally these were sold under the trademark Triangtois. In 1926 Lines Bros Ltd continued to produce the furniture in a similar style. Many of the items in the bedroom were made by the workers at Westacre Village, Norfolk, England, founded by Ysabel Birkbeck in 1919 for the purpose of boosting local employment in the post-war years. This was a cottage industry that produced expensive miniature furniture, which was sent to Morrell’s toyshop in the Burlington Arcade in London. While some of it is very traditional, other pieces have a look that is timeless. There are several examples of Westacre furniture here: a fourposter bed with base and turned posts of darkstained wood with covers and drapes, a set of pink armchairs and a number of cushions.
Small Stories: At Home in a Dolls’ House takes place at the V&A Museum of Childhood, Bethnal Green, from December 13 to September 6, 2015. Halina Pasierbska’s book to accompany the exhibition is available from V&A Publishing, priced £14.99.
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All That Jazz In a new book on the age of Art Deco, Eric Knowles celebrates the period and its ground-breaking French jewellery designers
ALTHOUGH USUALLY ASSOCIATED with the 1920s and ‘30s, in fact Art Deco style had begun to emerge in France prior to the advent of the First World War. But it was during the inter-war years that the style, reaching full maturity, was adopted by the international elite as the perfect expression of modern opulence and elegance, and to this day Art Deco designs are redolent of the age of Jazz, cocktails, the Charleston, speakeasies, Hollywood glamour, New York skyscrapers and, above all, style. The ‘20s were also a period of great technological advances in engineering and transportation and the perpetual modernity and futuristic aura of Art Deco are evocative of this too. 36
New style The inter-war years witnessed jewellery designers pursuing the same experimentation with geometric form as could be observed in the artist’s studio, craftsman’s workshop and architect’s drawing office. Jewellery design differed, however, in that it was informed by the evolution of fashion over the same period. Before the First World War, Paris couturier Paul Poiret had encouraged women to abandon restrictive corsetry in favour of near-tubular and flowing costumes that all but banished any inference of curves. Following its arrival in Paris in 1909, the influence of Sergei Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes was similarly
important, in particular the bold colours used in the costumes by Léon Bakst for Sergei Diaghilev’s ballet Scheherazade. The success of the production, alongside the enduring musical score by RimskyKorsakov, was to lead to a craze for voluminous harem pants, eagerly promoted by Poiret and others – although his later introduction of the ‘hobble’ skirt once again subjected women to obvious constraints when it came to the matter of mobility. Twenties chic By the post-war years the hemline was rising and soon moved from above the ankle to below the knee during the 1920s,
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Opposite: An onyx, coral diamond and emerald penannular brooch by Cartier, sold for £48,000 incl. premium, courtesy of Bonhams Right: An elasticated frosted-glass bracelet designed by René Lalique; called Dahlias, it was introduced in 1927 Below: Chardon de Mer by Gabriel Argy-Rousseau, a pate de verre glass pendant with a central flower head, first seen in 1924. Height 6.3cm
before descending back to the mid-calf by the 1930s. The fashion for shorter bobbed hair or a sculpted cut inspired by ancient Egypt allowed for more experimentation with earrings, whilst the demand for decidedly risqué sleeveless tunic dresses and evening gowns gave rise to arms and necks being daringly revealed and offering the same scope for pendants, bangles and bracelets. Necklaces in the early 1920s had extended below the waist of many a flapper, but by 1930 had contracted to become almost like chokers. The same held true for the everfashionable cloche hat, whose wide brim of 1920 had narrowed significantly by the end of the decade while shorter hair had made the hatpin all but defunct.
René Lalique At the turn of the 1900s René Lalique had broken with the long-held tradition that all important jewellery demanded the inclusion of precious stones. Instead, he had placed the emphasis on sculptural elements and on the use of non-precious materials such as buffalo horn and glass – although he was equally prepared to incorporate regular precious metals and stones when considered necessary. His interest in this approach to jewellery design had already begun to wane during the first decade of the new century but his growing fascination for industrially manufactured glass prompted him to explore the possibilities of commercial glass jewellery. In the years that followed he produced a series of brooches, pendants, necklaces and elasticated bracelets that allied natural shapes with machine-age geometric forms. Pieces were made in both coloured and clear glass, with some brooches and pendants produced in the latter often given a colour effect by using a tinted foil back. Most gilt metal mounts are stamped ‘Lalique’ but this should not to be taken as a total guarantee of authenticity – although it should be stressed that fakes are now exceptionally rare. René Lalique
should be remembered as an individualist designer who rarely strayed beyond his own creative parameters, while still maintaining the confidence and flexibility to adjust to prevailing winds of change, whatever the decade. Diamonds are forever With the dawn of the ‘Roaring Twenties’ the diamond came back into favour; but whereas earlier jewellers had mostly incorporated rose-cut and brilliant diamonds, the new trends demanded fresh styles of cutting. By 1925 jewellery designers were able to call upon a far more extensive range of cutting methods with emerald, baguette, square, marquise and navette cuts all in constant demand. The growing use of platinum for mounts was especially advantageous as it was both harder and not subject to the discolouration from which silver suffered. All this helped when it came to making articulated designs and fashioning denser clusters. It has long been recognised that the perfect contrast for any diamond is the colour black and this prompted many designers to use either black enamel or onyx in their compositions, for a feel of elegance and sophistication. The enduring popularity of the diamond at that time is evident 37
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copper inlaid with silver, a process known as dinanderie. He continued to develop the technique, fashioning clips and belt buckles that often feature African-inspired geometric motifs using crushed eggshell. His fascination with lacquerwork, Clipped accent meanwhile, had begun in 1912 Perhaps the most versatile when he met Seizo Sugawara, a accessory of the age was the clip Japanese lacquer artist, who that might be worn either at the taught him the art. It is obvious front or back of a gown, drawing that Dunand had been an attentthe eye towards an often plungive apprentice, as he became the ing neckline or backline. It could foremost exponent of the art. also adorn a waistband or be used as a pair to double as a His jewellery creations made brooch. As for brooches these use of silver-plated nickel, inlaid continued to be popular, being with copper, exotic woods and worn on the lapel, collar or colourful lacquer that featured shoulder, or even as an additional Cubist and other abstract motifs. ornament on certain headgear. He also employed a gold alloy Another new fashion was known as Oreum that had been thematic jewellery that favoured patented in 1902. This worked animal and bird subjects. This especially well when incorporated sometimes tapped into a with striking lacquer decoration renewed interest in ancient into his multiple-ringed ‘Giraffe’ Egyptian motifs, heightened by necklaces. These found instant the archaeological discoveries in favour with celebrities such as the the Valley of the Kings and the dancer Josephine Baker and the Brigitte Helm adorned in jewellery by Raymond Templier for her role in spectacular finds associated with actress Jane Renouardt, among the film L’Argent by Marcel L’Herbier, released in 1928 Tutankhamun. The equally others. The market for Art Deco enduring western fascination and early 1945 costume ideas. The motor car was inevitably an with the Far East underpinned a similar jewellery is still considered to offer influence, both through its external revival that saw the popularisation of good value for money especially when appearance and the internal technology: Chinoserie and neo-Oriental themes. Such seen against the relatively astronomical in particular he could see the decorative subjects favoured the used of jade, lapis prices achieved by top French designers possibilities offered by certain working lazuli, rose quartz and red and black coral and makers – a case of ‘it might be faux parts. Templier, like many of his applied not just to jewellery but also to but who’s to know!’ contemporaries, nurtured friendships boxes, clocks and other works of art. with all manner of creative artists and Oriental themes were embraced and Taken from Eric craftsmen, and joined forces with the made popular by premier French makers Knowles’ Art ‘Group of Five’ – interior designers Pierre and retailers such as Van Cleef & Arpels, Deco, published Chareau, André Domin and Marcel Boucheron and Cartier – not least with by Shire Genevrière (the latter two working Cartier’s range of lavishly decorated Publications together under the name Dominique), ‘mystery’ clocks. priced £14.99. silversmith Jean Puiforcat and furniture For more designer and bookbinder Pierre Legrain. details, or to Raymond Templier order a copy, It was the distinctive geometric and Jean Dunand visit www.shiremachine-age compositions championed Was a designer whose talents spread books.co.uk. by a relatively small group of French across a remarkable diversity of media. designers that today are considered as Alongside René Lalique, Emile-Jacques the ultimate expression of the best Art Ruhlmann and Jean Dupas, Dunand Deco jewellery. This radical approach was (1877-1942) is today recognised as a advocated by such artist-designers as titan of French Art Deco design. When Raymond Templier, Jean Després, Gérald his contribution to inter-war jewellery is Sandoz, Paul Brandt, Suzanne Belperron, discussed, it becomes difficult to isolate Jean Dunand and Jean Fouquet. The this single talent without recognising compositions of Raymond Templier (1891his ability to call upon the other 1968) often echo the component parts of disciplines in which he excelled, as a a machine, in one instance including a cabinet maker, metalworker, sculptor, segment of a speedometer incorporated lacquer artist and interior designer. in a lacquered cigarette case. Living in the An Art Deco emerald and diamond ring which His earliest work – from about 1913 – age of the machine, he admitted that the made £162,000, incl. premium in May 2013, was costume jewellery incorporating street provided him with a multitude of courtesy of Bonhams today in the volume of surviving brooches and bracelets set within symmetrical configurations as well as of dress wrist-watches featuring elaborate surrounds of small diamonds.
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Deco jewels and the ‘Downton effect’ ART DECO jewellery has made a stunning comeback thanks to the influence of period films and TV shows like Downton Abbey – with the stars of the show becoming vintage style icons. Bonhams recently sold a Cartier ruby and diamond necklace, c. 1925, to a private collector in Hong Kong for a record sum of nearly £390,000 – despite it having failed to make its estimate when it was last offered for sale by another auction house in 1994. It also recently sold a natural pearl ring, c. 1920, for an astounding £72,100 – more than 12 times its pre-sale estimate of £4,000-£6,000. With a global audience trying to emulate the style of Downton’s Lady Mary, among others, new markets for art deco have emerged especially in the Far East and Asia where rare vintage jewellery has soared in value. As a result, investors and collectors alike are seeking out original art deco jewellery by Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Boucheron, Chaumet and Bulgari among others. But while the big jewellery houses were at their zenith during the ’20s and ’30s, there is also a growing interest in the smaller ‘artist jewellers’, for example Rene Boivin, Suzanne Belperron and Georges Fouquet. Jean Ghika, head of jewellery Bonhams UK and Europe, said: “Lady Mary and Lady Edith are the obvious onscreen style advocates providing a wonderful insight into how the beautiful pieces from the art deco era were worn, for example Sautoir necklaces, clip brooches and hair ornaments.” Many of the most incredible pieces feature diamonds – it was the era of socalled ‘white jewellery’ – but others contain stunning combinations of colour-
The series of Downton Abbey, which has kick started a worldwide interest in art deco jewellery
ed stones including onyx, coral and jade among others. Pearls were also popular in this era given their rarity and the fact that they could be worn with multiple outfits. The 45-carat floral diamond tiara that Lady Mary wore for her wedding in the third series, which was once sold at auction by Bonhams, is now owned by London jewellers Bentley & Skinner who reportedly hire it out for £1,750 a
day with a deposit of £125,000. The tiara worn in the show’s Christmas special by the Dowager Countess, played by Dame Maggie Smith, is also for hire at £5,700 a time. Ms Ghika added: “The consistent rise in prices over the past 10 to 20 years has led many collectors to seek art deco jewellery out not only as a wearable item but also as a long-term investment.”
Look out for A name will always add a premium to an item; however, there were many well-made pieces produced during this period that are unsigned and therefore can be in the lower price range. When considering buying such an item, check its quality – always look at the back, as this provides a good indicator of how well made a piece is. Even if an item does not have a signature look out for other marks – for example, the French workshops were well-known for producing exceptional pieces of deco jewellery, so examine a piece to see if it has any French marks struck on the metal, such as an eagle’s head for gold or a dog’s head for platinum. Some types of jewellery are currently more popular than others, for examples rings and earrings are more fashionable than brooches, so it could be a good time to purchase an attractive pin or clip.
Under the hammer:
A Cartier ruby and diamond necklace, c. 1925, which Bonhams sold to a private collector in Hong Kong for a record sum of nearly £381,000 in May 2013, despite it having failed to make its estimate when it was last offered for sale by another auction house in 1994.
A Belle Epoque platinum and 18ct gold, diamond and ruby cluster ring which was inherited by Princess Margaret from her grandmother Mary of Teck, to whom it had been a gift from her husband George V. The ring was due for sale at Fellows’ auction of antique and modern on December 11 with an estimate of £15-20,000.
A rare archaeological revival gold Pharaoh brooch with its original box, made by noted 19th-century London goldsmith John Brogden, sold for £4,200 at Halls’ jewellery, silver and watches sale on November 19. Brogden exhibited jewellery at the 1851 Great Exhibition and won various awards at exhibitions in Paris and London from the 1850s-70s.
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