The collection is owned by a couple with a passion for G&J Lines and Triang toys and their collection is VAST!
Filling several very large, two-storey outbuildings, the collection includes not just Lines and Triang dolls' houses but just about every toy that Triang manufactured, including dolls, dolls' prams, rocking horses, pedal cars, model cars, aeroplanes, ships, forts, trains, garages....and so on!
Mr Triang Collector seemed to have a particular passion for pedal cars and this photo and the one below show only a fraction of his collection of them.
It's possible that this is the largest collection of Triang pedal cars in the world, however, we were told that the largest collection of pedal cars generally is held by one George W. Bush... well you learn something every day!
As far as dolls' houses are concerned, I took photographs of about sixty individual houses but that would, I think, be less than a quarter of those on display.
Our eyes out on stalks, we were shown room after room of fabulous houses. At times we were speechless - now that doesn't happen very often!
I had never stopped to imagine what all [or nearly all] of the Lines/Triang houses would look like if they were all gathered together and displayed in one place.
I can't possibly include all of the photos I took in this post - it would be HUGE - so I'll have to limit myself to some of my favourites and maybe some of the less often seen models.
Then again, how do you single out favourites and rarer models from amongst a line up like this!
OK, well I'll start with this one. I assume that this pretty little house is an early G&J Lines model but it also has a look of Gottschalk about it, which is not surprising as there was a lot of copying going on between the major manufacturers at the start of the 20th century. The windows on the far side (only just visible in this photo) are quite an unusual feature.
It really was lovely to see some of these earlier G&J Lines models 'in the flesh'. The big house in this photograph is [I think] the No. 25 which came with its own garden (c1909-10)
The smaller house on the far side of it is the G&J Lines No. 13 (also c1909-10).
This is a model I'd never seen before. It’s an early Triang DH/2 (1919-21). I love the design! [This model number was used again between 1927-33, for a different design).
More familiar is this G&J Lines No. 17 - the front-opening version of the side-opening No. 17 I own myself (c1909-10).
I can't recall having seen a model quite like this one before. It's similar to the much-loved Kits Coty (c. 1909-10) but with a number of distinct differences.
Another G&J Lines, this one is a No. 31(1909-10).
And a G&J Lines 'Clock House' (again from around 1909-10).
This is the lovely four-storied G&J Lines No. 73 (c1915) - I hope I'm getting my facts right here!
And this magnificent mock-Tudor mansion, G&J Lines No. 80 (c.1925) opens front and back and has eight rooms.
I'm not sure I've seen this model before. It's similar but not the same as the Triang DH/5 (1919-21)*. It also looks rather like the house that Marion Osborne shows and describes at the start of her Lines and Triang book as being attributed to G&J Lines from about 1900, however, that information might well have been superseded by now (and I look forward to Marion's new Lines book which I understand is not too long away now!) - *THIS IS NOW KNOWN TO BE A TRIANG DH/5 - SEE FOOTNOTE FOR UPDATE!
The beautiful Triang DH/10 with wonderful fancy timbering (c1934-35).
This sweet little Triang cottage known as 'The Queen's Dolls' House' (1922-30)
I'd never seen this cute DH/H 'Country Cottage before (c1924).
And this Triang DH/2 bungalow isn't seen very often either (1927-1933).
I do like these rarely-seen Triang No. 45s which are similar to the 'Ultra Modern' but with a more traditional pitched roof (1936-40).
Here we have a No. 55 from the Triang Mayflower series (1928-1933).
And a No. 54 from the same series.
This is a Triang No 64 which was the largest of the 60 series at 45" (1.13m) wide (1933-1944).
It's not often you get to see the little Triang Bungalow No. 32, (1930-41).
And there was this lovely example of the No. 71 (1932-36), often referred to as the Half Stockbroker.
Well, I could go on because, as you can see, there were many, many more fabulous Lines and Triang houses in the collection but I really can't cover them all.
Before I end my post though, I do just want to cover a few of the other interesting not-quite-dolls' house toys that were on display:
Like this wonderful Triang greenhouse - something I have hankered after for a long time.
The little Triang cold-frame.
The fab Triang houseboat!
The equally fab Triang motorhome!
The Noah's ark.
The carriage and horses for your dolls!
A Wendy-house sized Triang shop - oh how I would have LOVED this as a child!
Literally the Rolls Royce of Triang pedal cars.
And finally, something completely different since it's neither Lines nor Triang - this is Mr Triang Collector's working steam train. To give you an idea of scale, if I was stood on the footplate, only my head would be visible over the canopy bit and I'm 5'8"!
The train runs on a miniature railway which loops around the sizeable garden. Living the dream eh!
So, that's it from me - needless to say, we had a fabulous afternoon viewing the collection and I can honestly say that it was beyond my wildest expectations!
Until next time,
Zoe
[With huge thanks to Mr & Mrs Triang Collector for allowing us view the collection and also for giving me permission to blog about it.
With thanks also to Marion Osborne and the Dolls' Houses Past & Present website for providing the information I needed regarding model numbers and dates - apologies if I've missed or mis-interpreted anything!]
