Category Archives: Great Dollhouses

Posted on 28 October, 2019

astolat-castle-third-level

Astolat Castle third level

Astolat Castle – How It Came About

There are hobbies, then there are obsessions. When Elaine Marie Diehl’s customers entered her dollhouse miniatures shop in Sedona, Arizona, the nine-foot, seven-tiered, meticulously decorated dollhouse just inside the door gave them a clue about the owner.

Making dollhouses began as a hobby for Elaine. She would come home from her day job working in “display art” and play with her latest creation. The miniatures grew in size and price. People dropped by her home unannounced to see her latest creation. After one particularly profitable sale, she decided to give up commercial art and play full time, opening Minielaine’s Miniature Shop in 1981.

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Posted by Patrick Owens

Categories: artisans, Great Dollhouses


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Posted on 04 October, 2019

robert-dawson-catherines-palace-amber-room

The Catherine Palace Amber Room found on The Magical Dollhouse

Robert Dawson, Miniature Artisan

When Kathleen Savage Browning announced the acquisition of the Catherine Palace, I was pleased that a work by Robert Dawson would be at the Kentucky Gateway Museum Center. I run across his name often, when searching for article ideas and thought this would be a good time to learn more about him.

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Posted by Patrick Owens

Categories: amazing miniatures, artisans, collectors, Great Dollhouses


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Posted on 07 September, 2019

spanish-mansion-dollhouse-french--doors-open

The Spanish Mansion Dollhouse, French doors open.

Spanish Mansion Dollhouse

The Spanish Mansion dollhouse was made in the late 19th century. It is 4 1/2 feet tall and features a facade with 12 French doors that open to reveal three stories of elaborately furnished rooms. They including a nursery, gentleman’s study, lady’s sitting room, and private chapel — a status symbol for wealthy Spanish families. Carolyn Netter Sunstein added the Spanish Mansion dollhouse to her collection in 1983, paying $20,000.

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Posted by Susan Downing

Categories: amazing miniatures, Great Dollhouses


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Posted on 15 January, 2017

white-house-dollhouse-truck

Section of the White House replica being unloaded at an exhibition site. Source unknown.

Miniature White House

Using the word “miniature” to describe enormous dollhouses has always seemed weird to me. That’s especially true with the 1/12the scale replica of the White House. This colossus is 60 feet long and 20 feet wide. It weighs 10 tons and goes on tour in a big rig. John Zweigel’s obsessions truly stretches the universe of “tiny things.”

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Posted by Patrick Owens

Categories: amazing miniatures, Great Dollhouses, Neo Classical


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