I am calling this the 'Blue House Mystery' because I am still trying to decide what to do with this new house of mine. I found it on craigslist for $5 and I am super excited about it. It's somewhat rough looking. Through the roof is well built it is not attached, the painting is pretty bad and some of the siding was put on upside down??!? haha - but the walls, floors, and base are very solid so I think it can be bashed and sanded into something really spectacular. I really think I found a great deal!!
So ... two questions:
Anyone recognize this as a kit? I think it might be from a kit but have never seen one like this personally. Also, I think its pretty old, but it could just be covered in dust making me think that.
Anyone have any ideas on what I should do with it? The Alison Jr. reminded me immediately of the addams family mansion, so that one was easy.... this guy I can't quite pin point what it should be. My initial thought was a murder mystery house... like the game/movie Clue?? Might be fun for me to try and hide clues and people to figure out what happened? I dunno.....
Have enjoyed reading your blog :)
ReplyDeleteThis house is a super buy! Lucky you! Your idea to turn it into a "Clue" house sounds fun.
Ara, what a great find! With that veranda on top I see an outdoor restaurant . . . perhaps the house was once a house of ill repute :) and some of the furnishings still remain . . .
ReplyDeleteWhat a fab bargain and lovely good sized house.
ReplyDeleteIts also a super shape.
I see an old country house with this one. I see a kind of quaker look to it.
What i would do is make it a witches house. Well, more a group of sisters that are witches.
Not spooky though but rustic and like they are good nature witches.
I cant remember the name of the film with the two sister witches and two children witches.
Oh i wish i could then you could have a look for images and you would see its a similar type of house.
Have you seen the whitakers blog? Somewhere on their older posts they have done a posting about this and some scenes from the film.
If you are not sure i have them listed as a blog i follow.
The roof patio would be perfect for growing potion making plants and things like that.
It had to be for a witch... lol.
I LOVE the idea of turning it into a Clue house! That would be so much fun! You'll get to make a library, a dining room, a conservatory, etc. What a blast to think up, create and hide all the clues!
ReplyDeleteAs for the type of house, I have no clue (hah! pun intended!), but I bet if you posted this over in the Greenleaf forum, you might have a good chance of finding out. I swear, some people over there seem to know every kind of dollhouse ever made!
Well Ara, you have an Addams Family house, what about one for the Munsters? I can see it bashed painted black, additional windows in the roof.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great find!
Debie xxx
What a great find!!! And for $5!!! I like the idea of a Clue house...That sounds like a lot of fun. When I get a new house, I have to sit back....and stare at it for awhile!! Evenually it speaks to me...You just have to know how to listen! LOL!!
ReplyDeleteI forgot to say. I love your full scale furniture in the bacground. Its really nice too.
ReplyDeleteNikki x
What a fun find, though it sounds like it needs quite a bit of TLC. The Clue idea sounds interesting. I look forward to seeing what you do with the house, whichever theme you decide on. I'm so happy to have found your blog!
ReplyDeleteoh my gosh! love this house! I'm gonna go post pics of my craigslist purchase I got today... come check it out! I love the Clue theme... or the bistro idea... :)
ReplyDeleteI have to add to the long list of "Great Find" well done, woohoooooo! It is amazing! I love the architecture, so much possibilities. Ara, build a village of houses. Munster/ clue house, they are all such great idea. I have not seen this one although I have surfed the sites for dollhouses and check ebay regularly.Greenleaf forum is a great idea.
ReplyDelete5 bucks?! What a steal! I saw go for the Clue house - you could keep us guessing up until the very end to find out "who done it...?" Oh and I tagged you on my blog. If you're interested visit my blog for more info and have fun!
ReplyDelete$5 are you kidding me, that brilliant Ara lucky find!! We adore the film 'Practical Magic' which would lend itself well to this house. They are good witches and the room layouts are very rustic. If you go on our blog and check out the website you can see all the room layouts, Ill post some pics up later on our blog to inspire you!!! Its going to be wonderful and great to follow another house on your blog :-) Kate and John xx
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteAwesome find! You are very lucky as you well know and if you want to find out the name of this house/kit try going here. http://smallstuffarchives.com/mailman/listinfo/smallstuff_smallstuffarchives.com I have been a member for years and someone there WILL be able to tell you and everyone loves to help if you need it. Good luck, Debbie
Thank you all so much for your comments and ideas!!! I did find out what it is through an extensive image search on google....
ReplyDeletedrumroll.....
its a 'Dura-Craft VH-600 Victorian'. I found very little on it so I am guessing its somewhat rare? Also I found out there is supposed to be a tower in that big giant space in the open air. I will start a new blog very soon cataloguing the remake of this baby! -ara
Well aren't you the lucky duck! I've known several people now who gotten fabulous dollhouses on craig's list. So why don't I ever look there??!! Anyway, I think you have some good ideas here for this find...."Clue", witches house...all sound intriguing. I don't know your plans for the outside but I've seen some really great miniature haunted house exteriors. Have fun!
ReplyDeleteTabitha (aka Susan)
What a great find! It looks in good enough shape that you won't be killing yourself trying to make repairs.
ReplyDeleteI have a "Clue" room box in the works. :-) It is on my list of UFO's which I will get back to eventually.
I just got home after buying one of these, just barely started, for $50 on craigslist...
ReplyDeleteIts very rare and can sell for several hundred on eBay, unmade in its original box, though....
http://cgi.ebay.com/Gigantic-doll-house-/260608762751?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cad7e237f
is alink to eBay for one on sale to see a good idea of how it should look.
Thanks for the link! Mine is without the tower so its cool to see the inside and how it would look. If you start a blog while you're working on it please send me a link! -ara
ReplyDeleteIf it's really rare, I must be one of the very few with one in Australia. I bought it in Scottsdale in 1986 for my daughter and brought it back Down-Under. It then took me a year to put it together very inexpertly. Thirty years later, my wife and I now have the time to restore it.
ReplyDeleteHey Ara, Mr. Anonymous again, heres a link to directions to this house with dimensions so you can cut pieces out of wood to build your tower...
ReplyDeleteI like the updates!!
http://cgi.ebay.com/Dura-Craft-VICTORIAN-VH600-87-Dollhouse-Instructions-/190487714622?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c59f3db3e
Thanks Mr. A for the link! How cool to have the directions. My poor blue house has been really neglected lately... will have to make some plans for it! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThe dollhouse was not a 'clue' house but a house that could of been bought in the 70's it's called the VH 600 victorian miniture house kit. My papaw and i have been working on it (no idea were he got it) and it's been moved to my house. I have the instructions if you need them. although my dollhouse came with many missing peices and we just imorovised...
ReplyDeleteso I can't give you much information although... turning it into clue house sounds like a lot of fun maybe I'll try putting in a few clues and seeing if my sisters can figure it out :) ( really a very prettty house when it's finished)