{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O36899"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O36899/"}},"images":null,"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O36899","accessionNumber":"B.339:1 to 40-1996","objectType":"Dolls' house","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This house was made in the early 1940s by German prisoners of war in the Ruhr region of Germany for the daughter of a British mining engineer. They were craftsmen who wanted to make a thing of beauty amid the unhappiness of the times. It very much resembles the German houses of much earlier centuries in its solid structure, attention to detail and faithful reproduction of Bavarian house style.","physicalDescription":"1.  body of the house, wood and plywood, painted cream with a brown picture of a folklore subject externally; painted grey internally. Wood beading is used to resemble timber cladding and stone on part of the exterior and on door. The windows are glazed and four of the five have fabric curtains. The house is mounted on a base which is covered with a granular material, possibly sawdust, and painted and varnished to resemble soil; plain beading edges on three sides.\n\nIt is a two storey house with three sides; one long side is open. Inside there are three rooms and a long corridor, but no stairs. The two short sides have angled tops to allow for half pitched roofs. Externally, the long enclosed side has four bay wagon store with four curtained windows above; painted on the side is a rural scene in browns of an old woman, a dog and cat, and a bird. The short side to the right has a ground floor arched doorway, up two steps with 2 inward opening doors; above the door is a window. The other short side is covered with timer cladding.  Internally, there is a ground floor room (two steps down from the door), which leads to the corridor running behind the wagon store. Above there are two rooms; one is above both the wagon store and corridor and the other has steps to a platform by the window above the door.  \n\nHouse height - max. 36.5cm; min. 28.5cm \n\n2.  Roof, wood painted cream internally and externally grey textured with 4 (of a total of 6) pieces of stone resembling rocks.  The roof is held in place to the house by small wooden lugs which rest inside the front wall of the house; one is missing.    H. 1cm, W. 31.3cm, D. 86.5cm\n\n3.  Wagon, plywood, stained brown and held by nails and glue.  Two wheeled wagon with open rectangular box shaped body and two shafts.  Front and back faces of body have simply decorated tops. Ht. 9.5cm; l. 24.5cm; w. 10.6cm across wheel base\n\n4.  Horse, wood, stained and painted to indicate mane, halter, etc.; two leather loops are attached with metal tacks. The flat body, head and tail are in one piece with four separate legs; two of which are fixed and the other two which pivot on the pins which attach them to the sides of the body.  The loops will take the wagon shafts. Ht. 10.3cm; l. 14.4cm; w. 3.5cm\n\n5.  Door, plywood rectangle covered on one side with dark brown stained semi-circular cross sectioned beading; metal door knob, possibly brass. Between the layers of the door can be seen the remains of fabric hinging. Ht. 10.7cm; w. 6.6cm; d. 1cm\n\n6.  Door, plywood with two metal hinges and two metal door knobs. Ht. 10cm; w. 5.4cm\n\n7.  Table, plywood, rectangular top and four dowel legs inserted and stuck into sockets under the table top. Ht. 5.5cm; l. 6.5cm; w. 5cm.\n\n8.  Table, plywood stained light brown and varnished with four dowel legs inserted and stuck into socket under the top *one leg is unglued* Ht. 5.5cm, L.9cm; w. 5.5cm\n\n9.  Sideboard, light and dark wood, metal hinges. Cube shaped body of light wood mounted on four dark wood feet cut from scraps of wood.  Front has two doors with metal hinges and dark wood knobs. Between and above doors is a dark wood panel and there is a decorative panel to the rear of the top. Ht. 9.2cm, L. 9.4cm; w. 5.2cm\n\n10.  Sideboard, wood stained light and dark brown, varnished; metal hinges. Long shape mounted on four dark wood feet; front is divided into three sections by two doors flanking a decorative middle panel of contrasting strips of beading arranged in vertical stripes. The light coloured doors are decorated with a small dark brown wood diamond and each has a wood knob. Doors are attached by two metal hinges. Inside is a shelf. The top has rounded corners and overhangs the body at the front and sides. Ht. 7.3cm; l. 16cm.; w. 4.9cm\n\n11.  Stove, metal and card, painted cream and silver with black hinges; mounted on four legs with two round holes in top to hold cooking pots and a tubular flue at the top rear right corner. There is a metal rail attached to the front and sides. At the front there are two card flaps for oven doors. Ht. 14.7cm (5.8cm without flue), w. 10.8cm; d. 7.3cm\n\n12.  Drawer for stove, metal painted cream with black handle on front. Ht. 2cm; w. 1.7cm; d. 3.6cm\n\n13.  Dressing table, wood base stained pale brown, on four small dark brown feet; drawer front with central wood knob glued on; tall rectangular support for foil mirror glued to top of base. Max Ht. 10.6 x 5.3 x 3.2cm\n\n14.  Toilet, metal painted cream; oval cylindrical shape with seat included, bowl defined by internal sheet of metal. Ht. 3cm; circum. 11cm\n\n15.  Bath, metal painted cream; round ended; mounted on four metal feet; sides are slightly higher at the head end; top edge has smooth rolled finish. Ht. 5cm; L. 14cm; w. 5.3cm\n\n16.  Chest (blanket box), wood, light stain with painted decoration and metal hinges; mounted on four blocks; sides widen to top (rhomboid shape).  Front and sides decorated with small framed pictures of flowers and foliage. Lid is attached by two metal hinges. On the front panel is the date 1947. Ht. 4.5cm; L. 8.4cm; w. 4.6cm\n\n17.  Armchair, wood and fabric; high backed with four short legs. It has a solid seat, arms and back all covered in a printed fabric which is glued to the wood. Ht. 6.8cm; w. 4.2cm; d. 5.7cm\n\n18.  Corner seat, wood, stained mid brown and varnished; L-shaped supported on wood panels closed in by rectangular panels which slope towards the back; wood panel back to the seat; one arm of the L is longer than the other. Ht. 7cm; d. 4.7cm\n\n19.  Bed, wood; box construction nailed and glued together, dark and light stained wood. Bed consists of two shallow boxes, side by side, joined by the head and foot panels. These panels each rest on 3 dark wood feet and are both decorated with a cut out V design in dark wood.  \n*The  headboard is broken with the top part snapped off. Ht. 6.3cm, w. 15.7cm, l. 12.5cm\n\n20.  Bed, wood; box construction decorated with a painted floral motif. Head and foot boards are cut to form the legs of the bed. Headboard has heart shaped cut out area which is decorated on the exterior with a painted floral motif in red, green and brown. It is also outlined with a border of black dots. One leg at foot end is missing. Ht. 4cm, w. 5.8cm, l. 8cm\n\n21.  Cradle, wood; box construction with painted decoration. Head and foot boards are cut to provide rockers and decorative top edges with three balls. Boards have cut out heart shapes. Exterior of one board is outlined in black and red dots and is painted with three sprigs of flowers in red, green and brown. Ht. 4.5cm, w. 3.9cm, l. 5.5cm\n\n22, 23.  Bedside cabinets, box construction of light and dark stained wood; mounted on four dark wood legs. The front of each has an opening door below a panel in dark wood made to resemble the front of a drawer. The door is hinged on pins inserted top and bottom. Both the 'drawer' and the door have knobs of contrasting wood. Left leg detached from (23). Ht. 5.5cm, w. 5.2cm, d. 3.5cm\n\n24.  Wardrobe, box construction of dark and light brown stained wood, thinly varnished; nailed and glued. Three door shape, internally divided into two section (1:2). Body of light wood is mounted on five dark wood feet, one of which, centre front, is decoratively shaped. The doors are separated by dark strips of wood and each door has a dark wood solid handle. They are hinged with pins inserted top and bottom. The smaller section has two internal shelves and the larger one shelf. Ht. 13.5cm, w. 16.2cm, d. 4.7cm\n\n25.  Wardrobe, box construction of light stained wood with painted design on door; nailed and glued. Body is mounted on two block feet at rear and carved panel comprising feet and decoration at front. Cut off part of the panel is mounted on the top for decoration. The door has a dark wood handle and is hinged with a pin inserted top and bottom. It is decorated with a floral motif painted in red, pink, yellow, green and brown. Inside there is a shelf. Ht. 13cm, w. 7.2cm, d. 3.7cm\n\n26-28.  Cushions, covered in checked cotton fabric in blue, white, orange and green; soft stuffing.\n26- Green stain on one side - L.7.5cm x w 6.2cm\n27- L. 7cm x w 6.1cm;     \n28- L. 6cm x w 5.3cm\n\n*The following are pieces of wood which do not appear to belong to any of the furniture.\n29.  Curved edged flat wood rectangle - L. 4.8cm x w. 4.1cm\n30.  Curved edged flat wood rectangle - L. 4cm x w. 3.4cm\n31,32.  Shaped wood, possibly armrest for a chair; dark wood, long with projecting flat section with a nail hole. L.4cm, w. 0.7cm\n33.  Shaped panel, with one long and one short straight side and a third side decoratively carved.  A V-shaped groove is cut in the short straight side.  There are the remains of glue and cream paint on the long straight side. L.10.5cm\n34.  Dowel length, possibly a table leg.  L. 4.1cm","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"wood","id":"AAT11914"},{"text":"plywood","id":"AAT12849"},{"text":"metal","id":"AAT10900"},{"text":"textile","id":"x41581"},{"text":"sawdust","id":"AAT12834"}],"techniques":[{"text":"painting","id":"AAT161986"},{"text":"painting","id":"AAT54216"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Wood, plywood, metal, textiles","categories":[{"text":"Children & Childhood","id":"THES48980"},{"text":"Dolls & Toys","id":"THES48967"},{"text":"Dolls' 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by John and Jane Else in memory of Joanne Else","dimensions":[],"dimensionsNote":"Height: base - 2.5cm\nWidth 2: base 111cm\nDepth: base 32.5cm\nOther: see each part","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"The house was probably made between 1945 and 1947 German prisoners of war, as a plaything for the daughter of a British mining engineer, Robert Moncur, who was attached to the British Army in the Rühr. It is Bavarian in style.\n\nThe house was given to the museum in memory of Joanne Else who died aged 18 in 1988.\n\n\n<u>From a letter dated October 3, 1994 from Jane Else:</u>\n'...a doll's house which my father had made for me in the 2nd World War. He was a mining engineer attached to the British Army in the Ruhr and the house, a scale model of a Bavarian house, was made by German POWs in the area.  It was a special `toy' for me and subsequently by daughter.\n\nI would like very much to donate the house to your Museum in memory of my daughter, Joanne, who died six years ago at the age of 18...'\n\n\n<u>Letter from Jane Else's brother (not named or dated)</u>\n'It was made in Germany in about 1947. Our father Robert Moncur was in Germany at that time with the North German Coal Control, which was administering the production of coal in the Rühr following the end of the 1939-45 war. If I remember correctly, he was stationed at Essen.  There would be considerable unemployment and distress among the German population, and hearing that he had a young daughter, two craftsmen offered to build a doll's house.  Perhaps they went to so much trouble in order to create a thing of beauty amid so much ugliness and unhappiness. I have no idea of the cost, but I seem to remember hearing that the price was paid at least partly in cigarettes!\n\nI have never looked for any signatures or names on it, but there might be some perhaps under the base?'\n","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Dolls' house, made by German POWs, Rühr region, probably in 1947","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"Made by: German Prisoners of War, Rühr area.","productionType":{"text":"Unique","id":"THES48864"},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"houses","id":"AAT5433"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["B.339:1-1996","B.339:2-1996","B.339:3-1996","B.339:4-1996","B.339:5-1996","B.339:6-1996","B.339:7-1996","B.339:8-1996","B.339:9-1996","B.339:10-1996","B.339:11-1996","B.339:12-1996","B.339:13-1996","B.339:14-1996","B.339:15-1996","B.339:16-1996","B.339:17-1996","B.339:18-1996","B.339:19-1996","B.339:20-1996","B.339:21-1996","B.339:22-1996","B.339:23-1996","B.339:24-1996","B.339:25-1996","B.339:26-1996","B.339:27-1996","B.339:28-1996","B.339:29-1996","B.339:30-1996","B.339:31-1996","B.339:32-1996","B.339:33-1996","B.339:34-1996","B.339:35-1996","B.339:36-1996","B.339:37-1996","B.339:38-1996","B.339:39-1996","B.339:40-1996"],"accessionNumberNum":"339","accessionNumberPrefix":"B","accessionYear":1996,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE","Dolls' house [1]","Dolls' house [2]","Dolls' house roof [1]","Dolls' house roof [2]","Dolls' house chimney","Dolls' house furniture [1]","Dolls' house furniture [2]","Dolls' house furniture [3]","Dolls' house furniture [4]","Dolls' house furniture [5]","Dolls' house furniture [6]","Dolls' house furniture [7]","Dolls' house furniture [8]","Dolls' house furniture [9]","Dolls' house furniture [10]","Dolls' house furniture [11]","Dolls' house furniture [12]","Dolls' house furniture [13]","Dolls' house furniture [14]","Dolls' house furniture [15]","Dolls' house furniture [16]","Dolls' house furniture [17]","Dolls' house furniture [18]","Dolls' house furniture [19]","Dolls' house furniture [20]","Dolls' house furniture [21]","Dolls' house furniture [22]","Dolls' house furniture [23]","Dolls' house furniture [24]","Dolls' house accessory [1]","Dolls' house accessory [2]","Dolls' house accessory [3]","Dolls' house accessory [4]","Dolls' house accessory [5]","Dolls' house accessory [6]","Dolls' house accessory [7]","Dolls' house accessory [8]","Dolls' house accessory [9]","Dolls' house  storage box [1]","Dolls' house  storage box [2]"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-03-27","recordCreationDate":"2000-04-18","availableToBook":false}}