House Number Three - Branston, Brampton or Marmite House!

The third and last of the Dolls' Houses I've bought this week is a Triang DH/D.

(I really hope I will never be uttering the first part of that sentence ever again, unless I have acquired a Tardis!)

I'm not adding to my collection with this one because I already have a DH/D and I've found a good home for that to go to, so this is a switch. I've had to reassure my husband of this fact several times.

This model of the DH/D was produced between 1924 and 1930 but the kitchen range (see below) dates this particular house more precisely to between 1924 and 1926.

I've already discovered that this is a 'Marmite' house, with the re-painted roof being the main bone of contention - one of my friends hates it, whereas I think it's utterly charming!

The repaint obviously took place many decades ago, I would guess at the 1950s, and I love the old-fashioned colours and the naive tile-pattern.   My slightly later DH/D has grey cardboard tiles which are original, but this earlier one would have had the zig-zaggedy Triang roof paper.

The lovely, chunky chimney is original and is sporting wonderfully whacky TV aerial - it reminds me of those 'Buzz Wire' games you used to see at fairs (or at least there was one at our school fair each year).

The paintwork on the front door looks more recent and not terribly well done - I will have to tidy it up, particularly around the letter box which is original. 

I have ordered a lion's head door knocker to replace the one that is missing from the top of the door.

There appears to be a word scratched or pencilled into the paintwork above the front door but I can't make it out. 

My best guess was ERAMPTON which didn't make any sense! However, BRANSTON has been suggested and is much better, or maybe BRAMPTON, which is a popular place name around the country.  

I'll have to decide what to settle on otherwise the poor mite is destined to become forever known as Marmite House!

The inside has had a makeover at some point in the past too, but again, it has a nice old-fashioned look to it so I doubt if I'll be restoring it.

The original 'Dolly's Kitchen Range' has, happily, remained with the house, though it's lost its doors. I might have to have a go at making new ones - I like a challenge.

Marion Osborne thinks that this range was introduced around 1921-1923 and was in use until about 1925-1926 [The Book of Tri-Ang Dolls' Houses 1919 to 1971, p.248].

The original brick floor-paper downstairs and the parquet floor-paper upstairs have been over-painted  - I can just see the them where the paint is thin. 

The downstairs wallpaper, which is also on the opening front, isn't original. You can see the original peeping out from underneath it in this photo. I think the original one is the one that Marion Osborne refers to as 'Grape'.  The top paper obviously has some age and has a nice vintage look so I will probably leave it as it is.

The upstairs paper is original and is one that Marion Osborne calls 'Anemone'.

The cartoon stickers on the walls both upstairs and downstairs are very sweet, evoking a previous small owner titivating her (or possibly his) beloved dolls' house. 

BUT, if I leave them I know they will bug me once I've got my furniture in, so I'll be carefully removing them. I'll either make them into pictures for a child's room or, if I don't make a child's room, I'll paste them to the back of the house.

The original fireplace is present upstairs but has had a couple of make-overs. It will be easy enough to pop a piece of reproduction Triang brick paper on the front to restore it to how it was originally.

I think this little robin picture is charming and it will be staying in the house.

The house wouldn't have been wired originally but some enterprising person (I think we can blame Heath Robinson for it!) has added it at some point. I'm told that this type of corded wire hasn't been in use since the early 1950s.  

The huge Bakelite switch under the front canopy makes me laugh but it it's definitely an eye-sore and will have to go - along with the rest of the wiring! 

There was obviously brick paper on the back but it's been over-painted in the same red as was used on the roof.   

The curtains in the downstairs bay are very nicely made and, best of all, I won't have to make any myself - yay!

The green paint below the curtains has been very messily applied and I'll tidy it up at the bottom and hope that some furniture will hide the horrible paint drips on the walls.

The upstairs front curtains are lovely too and could be original although they would probably have started life on a wire rather than string and I wonder if half the pelmet is missing. 

The curtains at the upstairs side window are on a wire which goes into a little hole in the wood at the top of the window recess.  These could well be original too.

Isn't it incredible to think that in just a few years time this little house will be a hundred years old? It's likely to have provided pleasure to thee generations of children; first in the 20s, then maybe the 40s/50 and possibly again in the 70s/80s. And now it's my turn!

Until next time,
Zoe