Posted on 5:33pm Thursday 30th Aug 2012
You can't have a dolls house without some dolls.Well, you COULD, but
it may seem a little incomplete. So I think it's time I introduce you to
a few of our little friends down here at Magpies-Miniatures.net
We have many dolls available, including Ceramic and Poseable dolls, and resin figures. The designs cover a wide range of eras to suit various scenes. For those of you out there who are interested in recreating Tudor, Georgian, or Victorian dollhouse scenes, then this blog post is for you.... (Now's the time to get yourself a good cup of tea, and relax before scrolling down.)
Tudor 1485-1603
The
Tudor period is an era which if often referred to in schools in the UK,
and I recall being taught about the Tudors and Stewarts when I was
about 8 years old in school, a main reason fir this is the focus on a
particular King. Who knows the rhyme..."divorced, beheaded, died,
divorced, beheaded, survived"? This, of course, refers to the six wives
of Henry III, who was King from 1509-1547, the middle of the 'Tudor
Age'.
This time period was one of ill-health and poverty, with recurring outbreaks of the Black Death hitting the UK, with rats spreading infection. People often lived in small homes, often comprising of only one or two rooms. Stools were seen more often in homes, as opposed to chairs, and houses often had thatched roofs with wooden, hand cut beams. The outside of houses were painted with limewash, which gave them their white colour. The wood was
left
natural- the black and white look we know now as being "Tudor Style"
was actually a Victorian addition- the Victorians treated the wood with
a black tar to prevent rotting, which gave them the darkened colour.
Glass was first used for windows in Tudor times, but was very expensive,
so more poverty stricken households often used cloth, or even paper.
Chimneys, again were for the wealthy, and poorer households would have a
simple hole in the roof to let the smoke escape. Wealth was often shown
through the use of glass in the design and build of the house.
Tudor Past times include watching plays, as Shakespeare was an aspiring playwright of the time, and the Globe Theatre was built in 1599. Other pasttimes include a type of football game, with the rich enjoying jousting and fencing games.
Fashion
for the rich meant detailed and ornate clothing, as clothes were a
menas of expressing wealth. Ladies wore tightly fitting corsets, and
padded skirts with long gowns to cover. Men would be seen wearing silk
shirts with frilled detailing at the necks and wrists, hose, and a
doublet. 'Fashion' for the poor meant simple, loose-fitting clothes made
from wool cloth- trousers, tunics, and floor length dresses.
Georgian 1714-1830
The
Georgian period was an age of change in Britain, as it saw the
Industrial Revolution. If any of you saw the Openining Ceremony for the
Olympic Games, London 2012, you would have seen an insight into this
time.
This era saw more defined boundaries between classes, a complete change in landscape and architechure
as
cities were revolutionied for factories and their workers. Georgian fashion was 
exaggerated
with full length skirts, bows and frills, with ladies hair being pinned
up high. Corsets were still a must for the ladies. Men often donned the
'Frock Coat'. This was tight fitting on the arms and torso, and flared
out at the bottom. Waistcoats were also popular, as were cravats.
Houses ranged in styles, including huge mansions for the wealthy, and terraced homes for the working class. Simplicity, symmetry, and solidity were the important elements in British Georgian architecture.
Victorian 1837-1901
The
Victorian and Georgian periods are very close in terms of time, and
fashions. Many people choose to decorate their dollhouse in a Victorian
fashion, as it is considered to be quintessentially 'British'. It is a
period which is focused on by fimmakers, authors and directors. Think
Oliver Twist, and Charles Dickens and you can't go far wrong.
so don't be putting teddy bears in your Victorian house if you want to make them authentic!!
As far as dolls go, Victorians (along with modern day) are probably our most catered for and most wanted here at Magpies Miniatures, which means we have a really lovely collection! Head on over to THE DOLLS CATEGORY to see the full range.
As there is still so much to cover, I will return with another blog tomorrow looking at the War Years up to modern day, so please come back again soon to see what other little treasures we have to show you. I can assure you you won't be disappointed.
We have many dolls available, including Ceramic and Poseable dolls, and resin figures. The designs cover a wide range of eras to suit various scenes. For those of you out there who are interested in recreating Tudor, Georgian, or Victorian dollhouse scenes, then this blog post is for you.... (Now's the time to get yourself a good cup of tea, and relax before scrolling down.)
Tudor 1485-1603
The
Tudor period is an era which if often referred to in schools in the UK,
and I recall being taught about the Tudors and Stewarts when I was
about 8 years old in school, a main reason fir this is the focus on a
particular King. Who knows the rhyme..."divorced, beheaded, died,
divorced, beheaded, survived"? This, of course, refers to the six wives
of Henry III, who was King from 1509-1547, the middle of the 'Tudor
Age'.This time period was one of ill-health and poverty, with recurring outbreaks of the Black Death hitting the UK, with rats spreading infection. People often lived in small homes, often comprising of only one or two rooms. Stools were seen more often in homes, as opposed to chairs, and houses often had thatched roofs with wooden, hand cut beams. The outside of houses were painted with limewash, which gave them their white colour. The wood was
left
natural- the black and white look we know now as being "Tudor Style"
was actually a Victorian addition- the Victorians treated the wood with
a black tar to prevent rotting, which gave them the darkened colour.
Glass was first used for windows in Tudor times, but was very expensive,
so more poverty stricken households often used cloth, or even paper.
Chimneys, again were for the wealthy, and poorer households would have a
simple hole in the roof to let the smoke escape. Wealth was often shown
through the use of glass in the design and build of the house.Tudor Past times include watching plays, as Shakespeare was an aspiring playwright of the time, and the Globe Theatre was built in 1599. Other pasttimes include a type of football game, with the rich enjoying jousting and fencing games.
Fashion
for the rich meant detailed and ornate clothing, as clothes were a
menas of expressing wealth. Ladies wore tightly fitting corsets, and
padded skirts with long gowns to cover. Men would be seen wearing silk
shirts with frilled detailing at the necks and wrists, hose, and a
doublet. 'Fashion' for the poor meant simple, loose-fitting clothes made
from wool cloth- trousers, tunics, and floor length dresses.Georgian 1714-1830
The
Georgian period was an age of change in Britain, as it saw the
Industrial Revolution. If any of you saw the Openining Ceremony for the
Olympic Games, London 2012, you would have seen an insight into this
time.This era saw more defined boundaries between classes, a complete change in landscape and architechure
as
cities were revolutionied for factories and their workers. Georgian fashion was exaggerated
with full length skirts, bows and frills, with ladies hair being pinned
up high. Corsets were still a must for the ladies. Men often donned the
'Frock Coat'. This was tight fitting on the arms and torso, and flared
out at the bottom. Waistcoats were also popular, as were cravats.Houses ranged in styles, including huge mansions for the wealthy, and terraced homes for the working class. Simplicity, symmetry, and solidity were the important elements in British Georgian architecture.
Victorian 1837-1901
The
Victorian and Georgian periods are very close in terms of time, and
fashions. Many people choose to decorate their dollhouse in a Victorian
fashion, as it is considered to be quintessentially 'British'. It is a
period which is focused on by fimmakers, authors and directors. Think
Oliver Twist, and Charles Dickens and you can't go far wrong.
The Victorian period saw many major developments that
made travel, communications and trade easier. The railways allowed
people to travel cheaply and rapidly, opening up new possibilities for
both rich and poor. The postal service expanded after the introduction
of the 'Penny Post'.
Many of the things we take for granted today, such as photography,
telephones, electric light bulbs and cars were invented during this era.
In Fact, rather than list them all- have a listen to this...so don't be putting teddy bears in your Victorian house if you want to make them authentic!!
As far as dolls go, Victorians (along with modern day) are probably our most catered for and most wanted here at Magpies Miniatures, which means we have a really lovely collection! Head on over to THE DOLLS CATEGORY to see the full range.
As there is still so much to cover, I will return with another blog tomorrow looking at the War Years up to modern day, so please come back again soon to see what other little treasures we have to show you. I can assure you you won't be disappointed.
- Mandy & Niccy @ www.magpies-miniatures.net
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