Dollhouse built in 1912 had a working electric ELEVATOR

Did you know doll houses or cabinet houses, as they were called, were not intended for play? 

DOLHOUSES WERE INITIALLY USED TO DISPLAY WEALTH

It was rather used to display both pedagogy and wealth. 

According to reports, the original doll houses were displayed within a glass front cabinet that could be likened to a china cabinet. 

The fronts could be opened and closed but remained locked for most of their existence.

ALSO READ: Can your pay be cut because of load shedding in South Africa?

THE DOLLHOUSE HAD A WORKING ELEVATOR

One of these spectacular doll houses was built by John Carlsson in 1912. He built the dollhouse for his sister, Elsa. 

The 1912 dollhouse was built in a display cabinet with a working electric elevator made with pieces of a clock. 

When the house was finally completed, Elsa was an adult and no longer interested. It also included: 

• a telephone that rang
• a mini typewriter
• sewing machine
• a chandelier
• 30 dolls 
• Fire escape 

According to a report by Artsy.Net, wealthy households constructed splendid dollhouses in the 17th and 18th centuries as wunderkammer to entertain and delight visitors—and to exercise their excellent taste. 

WUNDERKAMMERS WERE BUILT TO ENTERTAIN AND DELIGHT VISITORS

These luxurious display cabinets were didactic tools to teach little girls the domestic skills they would need to run their households as adult wives.

ALSO READ: Studying these SIX subjects will help YOU become a millionaire

Following the cabinet houses, the dollhouse transitioned into a more useful teaching method called Nuremberg kitchens in the late 17th century. 

These houses, which were all metal, existed without ornamentation but were designed to fill the utilitarian purpose needed. These houses were solely meant to teach young girls how to run a household, often guided by their mothers. 

Girls learned the essential objects of the house by recreating situations within the dollhouse, practiced giving orders to the cooks and servant dolls, and learned the importance of being the lady of the household.

TIME PERIOD BETWEEN 1960s AND 1990s WAS THE SO-CALLED DOLLHOUSE BOOM

The time period between the 1960s and 1990s represents the so-called dollhouse boom. 

Click here to read more about the millionaires, centi-millionaires or billionaires who live in your neighbourhood.

Increased transportation and Distribution allowed for houses to be made in other countries, like China. 

Houses were created to represent different kinds of houses, but there was also a reemergence of historical houses.