(Cathy Weeks) wrote in message . com...
(Millie) wrote in message . com...
This work in progress is #11 of 14 dollhouses this size that I have
built over the years, I am currently refurbishing this house to its
former glory and have filled it with some of my vast collection of
miniatures.

Like the stairs! Very pretty. What provides structural support?
Would such a staircase exist in a home in full-sized scale?

Cathy Weeks


I used a center post, the steps wind up around it, it took 90 days for
me to figure out how to finish them. The inlay can be purchased from
various companies (mostly on the east coast) and comes from individual
sheets, or various sizes. The hand rail proved to be the most
difficult for I am not a stress analyst and tried soaking the railing
for weeks at a time and was never able to bend it in the extremes that
this called for...Finally just woke up to the idea from years ago
when we were building model airplanes. The fuel line available in
most hobby shops! Comes in lengths and diameters that will just about
cover all mini needs. It paints beautifully too.. Let me know if you
try this...it worked after trial and error.

Quite often you will find spiral staircases in real Victorian houses,
if you explore the Sea Coast of Northern California/Oregon/Washington
you will find many examples of things such as this to incorperate into
your minnie themes.

The "Lady of the Lake" is one example of using a real house as the
model for the Model, they both still exist... The real one is located
in San Francisco, CA (San Rafael), how it became known as "Lady of the
Lake" is unknown, but there is a plaque on both houses telling when
they were born. The house was used as the front cover photo for the
San Francisco phone book in the mid 1970's, I started this dollhouse
in early 1979 and completed it in 1980, 21 months worth of work. I
made these for an average price of around $3500 back then, unfurnished
of course. I later got this one returned to me for repairs(it had been
badly damaged), and after I started work on restoration the owner told
me to keep it, she did not want anything more to do with it.

1 lightbulb on the front porch was the only lighting that has burned
out in over 24 years, wish I could do that here in my real home!

Thank You for the comments, I love talking dollhouse!!!!