We don’t have an image of this object online yet. V&A Images may have a photograph that we can’t show online, but it may be possible to supply one to you. Email us at vaimages@vam.ac.uk for guidance about fees and timescales, quoting the accession number: B.4:1 to 7-2005
Find out about our images

Not currently on display at the V&A

Dolly's Home

Dolls' House
1927 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Moritz Gottschalk was an important manufacturer of dolls' houses, rooms, kitchens, shops, theatres, and dolls' house furniture. Originally he had been inspired to make pressed cardboard soldiers helmets for children. These proved very popular so he used similar processes and manufacturing techniques to create buildings and furniture. Established in 1873 in East Germany, the company grew rapidly and soon Gottschalk had showrooms in Paris, London, Amsterdam, and in the USA. During World War II toy production was stopped so that the cardboard could be used to manufacture boxes for the armed forces. Under the Soviet occupation of East Germany, the company was nationalised and many of its records were destroyed.

Dolly's Home was made in 1927, at which point the company was being run by Lina Gottschalk and her second husband Kurt Wagner. It has a simple construction and was clearly designed for children. The house is interesting because it is fixed inside a box, allowing it to be packed away easily when finished with. The inside of the box is painted with a landscape creating a garden scene around the house. This model was the simplest of three hideaway buildings produced in 1927. The largest version was a hillside fort or castle. Because many components were made from cardboard they have often not survived in very good condition.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 7 parts.
(Some alternative part names are also shown below)
  • Dolls' House
  • Dolls' House
  • Dolls' House Accessories
  • Tables (Support Furniture)
  • Miniature (Size Attribute)
  • Dolls' House Accessories
  • Chairs
  • Miniature (Size Attribute)
  • Dolls' House Accessories
  • Dressers (Cupboards)
  • Chests of Drawers
  • Dolls' House
TitleDolly's Home (manufacturer's title)
Brief description
Dolly's Home, yellow and red painted doll's house and garage in a fold-out box, made by Moritz Gottschalk, 1927
Production typeMass produced
Marks and inscriptions
'Dolly's Home' (Printed on label on the front of the box.)
Summary
Moritz Gottschalk was an important manufacturer of dolls' houses, rooms, kitchens, shops, theatres, and dolls' house furniture. Originally he had been inspired to make pressed cardboard soldiers helmets for children. These proved very popular so he used similar processes and manufacturing techniques to create buildings and furniture. Established in 1873 in East Germany, the company grew rapidly and soon Gottschalk had showrooms in Paris, London, Amsterdam, and in the USA. During World War II toy production was stopped so that the cardboard could be used to manufacture boxes for the armed forces. Under the Soviet occupation of East Germany, the company was nationalised and many of its records were destroyed.

Dolly's Home was made in 1927, at which point the company was being run by Lina Gottschalk and her second husband Kurt Wagner. It has a simple construction and was clearly designed for children. The house is interesting because it is fixed inside a box, allowing it to be packed away easily when finished with. The inside of the box is painted with a landscape creating a garden scene around the house. This model was the simplest of three hideaway buildings produced in 1927. The largest version was a hillside fort or castle. Because many components were made from cardboard they have often not survived in very good condition.
Bibliographic reference
Moritz Gottschalk 1892-1931, Ciesliks Reprints, Germany, 2000. p.220, ill ISBN3-921844-62-2
Collection
Accession number
B.4:1 to 7-2005

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdMay 5, 2009
Record URL
Download as: JSON