The History of Dollhouses

Dollhouses can be either, something a child would play with, or something a person would collect. Some are kept in museums behind glass or in private homes. It is said that, dollhouses have been around for at least the last 400 years. During the earlier years, they were play things for the children of the very wealthy. The dollhouse of those early days, were not like the castles or ornate homes that these children lived in; but they were well above the lower class homes. So, these early dollhouses were essentially just for children to play with.

In the 1800's, there was a movement to make dollhouse that were more than just ordinarily. They tended to be more like the ornate homes of the wealthy. Many were still handmade, but they were easier to create because of the machines available to manufactures. They were also available to more than the wealthy families now. As long as the family had a fairly good income, they could afford one of these new dollhouses. Also, during that time, the beginning of collecting dollhouses began.

Today's market has made dollhouses available to the masses, rather than just the wealthier families. Mattel has come up with affordable houses for their Barbie dolls. The more serious collectors have started finding pieces on online auctions, or estate auctions in their areas.

Dollhouse collecting can be fun and exciting. Looking for that new piece to fit in your own dollhouse, can lead you to many parts of the world.