Marx houses were affordable and carried by companies like Sears. The houses were know for rumpus rooms, breezeways and patios, all modern additions to the American home. They reflected the possessions of the upper and growing middle class in America in the 1950's.
Plastic made the toys easy to produce. You can see piles of plastic dollhouse furniture at garage sales and on ebay. Some are made of a hard plastic and others softer. The latter is often found with teeth marks.
Here is the Marx Colonial upstairs bedroom. Notice headboard and side lamps. I particularly like the pleats on the bedspread.
Such a handsome fireplace in the master bedroom. These interiors are idealized. A contractor I know who builds mini mansions told me the feature of a fireplace in the bedroom is called "a babymaker" in the trade...
Don't you love the colorful graphics on the wall. I think this master bath is supposed to have a rectangular tub in the middle of the curtains, but this home came with the corner tub. Pretty sophisticated design for the time.
Notice the toilet paper. So realistic.
Plasco, Marx, Renwal, Kleeware, Reliable Plastics and others mass produced these colorful toys. After you spend time with them it is easy to see at a glance which manufacturer made which. They each clearly have their own style. But at first glance they may all look alike.
US ebay item #150564401205 3/3/11
US ebay item# 290538862499 3/3/11
6 comments:
So very interestin; this tour of yours! I havent ever before seen these. They look amazing! So "neat and clen"
Hi Kikka, so glad yor computer is behaving.
Yes these houses are seldom messy. :) C
I am in love with these lithographed houses. this one of yours is very nice. The wall details are so cool.
Barb, I really covet the snazzy ranch houses, but I love this one because it is mine. C
As much as I love the tin houses and their wonderful graphics I hate the plain, hard, one-color, too-small for the house, plastic furniture and people.
They just don't inspire my imagination. I felt the same way about them when I was a kid. I much preferred the larger, more realistic lokking Renwal-Reliable-Ideal plastic furniture.
Maybe that's why I am collecting dollhouses now. To make everything look realistic. My favourite items are those that look real in miniature.
That being said, I have this house and all that furniture too. I am a purist at heart and the furniture goes with the house whether I like it or not. So I need to have it.
Susan
I also find it cold. I think it began the toy trend of accumulating that peaked in the 80's. Aquiring all the correct mass produced parts rather than making them yourself. C
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