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Dolls' house - Caroline Cottage

Caroline Cottage

  • Object:

    Dolls' house

  • Place of origin:

    Scotland, Great Britain (made)

  • Date:

    1831 (made)

  • Artist/Maker:

    unknown (production)

  • Materials and Techniques:

    Wood

  • Credit Line:

    Given by Mrs T. Greg

  • Museum number:

    MISC.216-1923

  • Gallery location:

    In store

  • Download image

This little house was made in 1831 by the estate carpenter at Abergeldie Castle in Scotland. It was a present for Caroline, the daughter if the castle's owner Sir Robert Gordon, for her sixth birthday in August. It is quite a plain house with few outstanding features and is a good example of the type of house that was being made as a plaything for children to use, as opposed to more elaborate examples that adults would have had. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert rented the castle in 1848 and lived there until their new home at Balmoral was finished in 1855. Their children played with this house for many years.

Physical description

The house has a hinged front façade. It is of two storeys; the upper storey having three hinged windows and the lower storey having two hinged windows and a door. The other facades are plain. The roof is slate coloured, pitched with two side chimneys. Inside is a central staircase with wall and landing. On the upper floor this is flanked by two bedrooms each with patterned green wallpaper. The lower floor has a sitting room with red wallpaper and a kitchen with hearth and cooking equipment, and a fixed cupboard fitment. The house is furnished.

Place of Origin

Scotland, Great Britain (made)

Date

1831 (made)

Artist/maker

unknown (production)

Materials and Techniques

Wood

Marks and inscriptions

'Caroline Cottage 'is painted on the facade of the house

Dimensions

Height: 102 cm, Width: 96.5 cm, Depth: 61 cm

Object history note

Made for the sixth birthday of Caroline, daughter of Sir Robert Gordon in 1831. He was the owner of Aberfeldie Castle in Scotland which was rented by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert between 1848 and 1855, while their new home at Balmoral was being built. The dolls' house remained as part of the equipment of the nursery used by the royal children during her Majesty's occupancy of the castle.
Caroline Cottage was given to the museum in 1923 by Mrs T.Greg, who acquired it from Miss H.G.St Aubyn, Caroline Gordon's daughter.

Descriptive line

Dolls' house called Caroline Cottage made in Scotland in 1831

Materials

Wood

Categories

Royalty; Children & Childhood; Dolls & Toys

Production Type

Unique

Collection code

BGM

Download image
Qr_O112211
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