Thursday, March 7, 2013

Historical Eye Candy

I went to the library today.  You know, the building where they have books. :-)

Anyway, I was looking through the shelves to see what caught my eye.  Sadly there are ZERO books about dollhouses or miniatures, but that doesn't mean you can't find something great to look at.

I found an amazing book called "Houses of the Founding Fathers" by Hugh Howard.  It is available on Amazon and you can find it here.

 
The pic is a large book of mostly pictures and interesting information.  The reason I fell in love with it, and will probably be purchasing a copy one day, is all the eye candy.  If you have ever thought about doing a dollhouse or miniature room based on a home from the 1700's, this is the book for you.
 
Just look at all this inspiration.  I hope it is OK to show these few pictures.  I'm showing much less than they show on Amazon. :-)  I'm sorry if the pictures aren't their best, but it is a glossy print book and I was just using my iPhone.
 
 
 

 
 
The book is full of information about each of the owners of the different houses and what life was like during that time period.
 
Here is a list of information that I thought was really interesting about the late 1700s in the United States.
 
*  The average child had about a 50% chance of surviving to adulthood.
*  All cooking was done in or around a fireplace/open fire.
*  There was no anesthesia for surgery or childbirth.
*  Other than sunlight, the only source of heat was from fire.
*  Slavery was legal in all thirteen colonies.
*  Every household produced most, if not all, of the candles, soap, foodstuffs and clothing it needed.
 
I hope you found this information as interesting as I did and I hope you check out this book.
 


Till later!

15 comments:

  1. Very interesting book, a book you can lose yourself in for hours. Yes they had a very beautiful style and very beautiful furniture and interiors at the time. But it was not a good life, well neither for the rich and certainly not for the poor. 50% chance to grow up and the average life expectancy was not high. Thanks for showing.
    Hugs
    Wyrna

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  2. thank you for sharing that book, I really liked looking at the inside of those houses.


    Marisa :)

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  3. What a great find - very inspiring for miniatures, but also interesting to have a little peek into goneby times and to appreciate a little more what we have today (I mean, I'm writing a comment to a guy in the U.S. now who can read this in a wink of an eye... LOL). We have an outdoor museum nearby where I live with very old rural buildings, mostly farmhouses. It's very fascinating, they even had their beds in the kitchen (trunk beds, we call them "Alkoven") and you can easily recognize that the people were indeed much smaller than today. Have fun with this impressive book and get inspired! ;O)

    Greetings
    Birgit

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  4. A book after my own heart. I love books on the history of how people lived! Thank you for introducing this book!

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  5. Hi Dale, THNX fot the eye candy! Love the book!
    Hope your having a great weekend!
    Hug AM

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  6. Thanks everyone! Been one of those weeks around here (I'm sure you understand AM). Hopefully will have more to share soon. Keep the minis making!

    HUGS
    Dale

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  7. Hi Dale! In looking at the photos, they remind me of what I saw in the Phoenix Museum showcasing the American Collection of the Thorne Rooms by Eugene Kupjack. He used to be the Grand Master of miniatures and his work was meticulous in its details and in the execution of translating scale. There is something about old homes and they always hold a fascination for others, regardless of where you go throughout the world. Are you planning on reproducing one of the doll's houses from the book? I hope that you will make mini version of the cover to include in your own mini book collection as a coffee table book until you can have the full sized one to cherish.

    elizabeth

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    1. Typo correction: Are you planning on reproducing one of the houses in the book AS a doll's house?
      ( there, I feel better when I get it out "RIGHT")

      elizabeth

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    2. I agree Elizabeth, there is just something very fascinating about old homes, especially when they are kept up and you can see the old furnishings. I was fortunate to grow up in Washington DC so I spent a lot of time at Mount Vernon in Virginia. Was also lucky enough to spend quite a few weekends at Williamsburg, VA in the Old Town. Such beautiful places to visit.

      Not sure I'll be making a mini version of the book. Don't have a coffeetable to put it on. HAHA! Actually hadn't thought of that so might have to work one up real quick. :-) Maybe once I get a job I can actually buy the book and not borrow from the library.

      Thanks!

      Dale

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  8. I've always loved the house on the book's cover --Drayton Hall. It would make an awesome miniature!

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    1. You are so correct John. I love the pictures of Drayton Hall, but I have never been able to visit. I like the fact that they are not furnishing it, but just preserving it so you can see the details of the architecture instead of how it was lived in.

      Dale

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  9. Hello! I love your post!The book is really amazing... I'm making a Georgian dollhouse! Chek out my site if you want!
    Good day!.
    D.

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    1. Hello Diego! It is great to have you here and I have signed up to follow your blog as well. Beautiful project.

      Dale

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  10. Hi Dale, I am a new follower and so glad I found your great blog. I love your tutes and will be sure to be back. Sorry about you and yours loss. Mini hugs, LJ

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    1. Hello Jane. It is great to have you as a follower and I hope I can continue to create things that you may be interested in. I tend to jump about a bit from one thing to another so keep your eyes open...you never know what I'm going to be making next. :-)

      Dale

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