My Little Corner of the Net

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

1940's Rich Southern Colonial Doll House

I took the opportunity to replace the windows in my other 1940's Rich Colonial Doll House today.  This house is slightly smaller than my other Rich house and porch is much less grand.


I did some research and the closest house I could find was in an advertisement for Christmas 1946. ( see below- top right)

The advertisement states "Two story, 6 room Southern Colonial type dollhouse with stairway.  Finished with black, green and red stenciled design.  Blinds and roof are green, porch floor is red with white columns and roof.  Painted floor with flocked rugs and stenciled linoleum.  Made of Gypsum Hardboard.  29-1/4" long, 21-1/4" high and 16-1/4" deep.  $4.69"

I found a currency converter online and $4.69 is roughly $100 in today's dollars.

 The existing windows were in really rough shape.  Its hard to tell from the photos, but they are cracked, starting to curl and the paint is cracking off them.  They also have years of layers of glue and cellophane tape.


 The photo shows the new replacements from the vinyl sign company


 I began by peeling off the cardboard backing ( shown in blue)


 I then placed the sticker on the sheet of mylar that I had cut to the correct size.


 Once the sticker was in place, I burnished it down with a plastic scraper.



Once the sticker was firmly adhered to the mylar, I peeled of the protective backing.


Voila! a shiny new window.



This detail shows the "linoleum" floors and the blue flocked rugs upstairs and the green flocked rugs down stairs.


The view shows the new windows in place.


 Some of the details I really like about this house is the circular cut-out on each side and the fluted columns on the front porch, along with the great printed graphics.



12 comments:

  1. Troy, I think that I like this one better. Smaller and cozy. Your windows turned out perfect!

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  2. I like you house Troy, It reminds me of all those 1940's mansions from film Noir

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  3. This is great! I have the "Six-Room Doll House" that's pictured in the ad! It has hard plastic windows which may be replacements. I'm busy furnishing it with Ideal and Renwal furniture.

    I have another Rich dollhouse from the early '50s that needs replacement windows so thanks for this tutorial. I was at a loss how to go about replacing them before I read this.

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    1. This was my childhood house which I just purchased from an antique dealer. It is in perfect shape. I got it in 1946-47. It was such a thrill to see it on Etsy and I went right to the phone and bought it.

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    2. Shawn, let me know if you need my vinyl guy's number.

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  4. Troy: That would be great. I'd like to get that sad, windowless Rich house back in shape. Email me at sacpenn@hotmail.com please.

    I actually have three Rich houses, but two of them (the windowless one and another) are twins. The third one has all its original windows. It also came with what I was told was its original furniture (mostly Ideal and Renwal) which I've been supplementing. I got it on Ebay over Memorial Day weekend a few years ago when there were few bidders, a real buy.

    I love Rich houses. I missed out on an Art Deco one last year on Ebay...the bidding just got too high. I'm hoping to add one of their cottages to my collection in future.

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  5. I would dearly love to have contact information on your window maker! They look great! It seems every house I get needs windows and doors! LOL! I know That is usually the case. Thanks house looks great!!!

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    1. send me your email and I can get you hooked up! Troy tulsatinystuff@gmail.com

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  6. This was my childhood house. I purchased it for a second time in Jan. this year. I got it in 1946 for Christmas. The windows were plastic. Mine is totally in tack. I could not have been happier.

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  7. Troy, could I have your window maker's information? I have about 5 Rich and Keystone doll houses that need replacements.Do you know anyone who can make replacement metal casements for these windows?
    jmitchell@kfh.org

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  8. I have one Rich Colonial Dollhouse. Excited to start furnishing. Also have my mothers dollhouse made by her father in 1925. He was an engineer is scale, etc, is just right. Suites the Tynietoy and similar furnishings. Appreciate the window replacement info. I made need it on my Rich Colonial! Really enjoyed this.

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  9. Hi. If you want to replace the windows with hard plastic, you can use Egofine plexiglass sheets (0.04" thick) and cut to size. Get it here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BTPHWJL1?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1
    Then, use Chartpack 1/16" graphic art tape to make the mullions: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000HF4I42?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

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