Dollhouse
Lutz Moutain Heritage Museum
All rights reserved.
| Object Name: | Dollhouse |
|---|---|
| Artist/Maker: | Aud, Donald Radio Corporation of America |
| Category: | Category 9: Recreational Objects |
| Material: | Wood Glass Fabric Plastic Paper |
| Accession Number: | 2020.10.01 A,B |
| Origin-Country: | Canada |
| Use-Province: | New Brunswick |
| Use-Country: | Canada |
| Culture: | Canadian |
| Earliest Production Date: | 1950-01-01 |
| Latest Production Date: | 1970-12-31 |
| Description: | Four room Dolls House made out of wooden cabinet style four-legged RCA Victor television circa 1950-60 in two pieces (base which formerly held speakers and top cabinet which formerly held the display unit). Top cabinet has glass front to display the rooms, back has been fitted with centre opening hinged wooden doors for access along with hinged metal bracket Closure at the top. The insides of the doors are decorated to form the back walls of each of the four rooms. Original RCA Victor logo on front, 3 holes on right side for knobs labelled Contrast, Vert Hold, Horiz Hold, 8 vertical ventilation slots on left side. Base is hollow, small electrical panel has been added at the back for components used to light up the inside of the top cabinet. Front of base has original beige woven fabric with gold thread detailing and a hole in the centre for a speaker. Description of rooms, looking from the front: (All approx 48 cm x 27 cm x 21 cm) Top Left - Royal blue felt fabric floor, small print patterned wallpaper on two walls (pink/blue/yellow), white painted ceiling, chalk board with drawing fitted to outside wall. Back wall (one half of hinged door) has matching wallpaper and a window with metal curtain rod, yellow and white striped tie-back curtains, and a Christmas wreath. Top Right - Red felt fabric floor, red and white stripe patterned wallpaper with top border on walls, white painted ceiling, oval mirror fitted to outside wall. Back wall (one half of hinged door) has matching wallpaper and a window with metal curtain rod, white eyelet tie-back curtains and a Christmas wreath. Bottom Left - Yellow/gold felt fabric floor, Gold and cream patterned wallpaper with gold stripe top border on walls, textured white painted ceiling, gold framed scenery picture on inside wall. Back wall (one half of hinged door) has matching wallpaper and a window with metal curtain rod, white lace tie-back curtains, and black and white plant in terra-cota coloured pot on window ledge. Bottom Right - Royal blue felt fabric floor, blue and white flower print wallpaper on walls, textured white painted ceiling. Three sets of decorations on inside wall - wood plate rack with two white plates with floral centres (one pink, one yellow), two metal plates fitted on wall (1 silver coloured, 1 copper coloured), and oval mirror with gold frame fitted on wall. Outside wall has Cuckoo Clock fitted to it. Back wall (one half of hinged door) has matching wallpaper and a window with cafe style curtain rods fitted with white eye valence on top and matching pair of curtains in centre of window. Aforementioned hinged back doors are decorated inside to form the back wall of the rooms and decorated with coordinating wallpaper. Each section has a window . |
| Narrative: | Display case was converted from a RCA Victor television set by Donald Aud, husband of the donor, June Aud of Moncton, NB. The decor inside the of the converted TV, as well as all of the miniatures, where made by June Aud. In 1919, the RCA Corporation was established. They were responsible for sending the very first radiophoto from New York to London in 1924. A radiophoto is the act of sending photographs through telegraph, telephone, or radio. The development of television was aided by this photo-transmission. At the 1939 World's Fair in New York, RCA unveiled a new invention: the television. However, once the United States entered World War II (19391945), the firm soon shifted its focus to more fundamental issues. Bomb fuses and radio tubes were among the things produced by RCA facilities to aid the war effort. RCA-television Victor's products were reintroduced to the market a month after the war ended, and production ramped up quickly. By 1954, RCA had developed the very first colour TV available for purchase by the American market. The television age had arrived, and RCA-Victor was at the forefront becoming one of the most well-known and well-established brands in the consumer electronics market. This momentum never did truly dissipate and as of 2021, they continue to be one of the leading consumer electronic brands. |
| History of Use: | Originally a RCA Victor television set which is usually found as a major piece of furniture in a living room or family room. This television would have later been converted into a dolls house. |
| Height: | 91 cm; 50.3 cm; 45.7 cm |
| Width: | 66 cm; 61.1 cm; 65.7 cm |
| Depth: | 51 cm; 50.7 cm; 48.9 cm |
| Institution: | Lutz Moutain Heritage Museum |
| Institution City: | Moncton |
| Institution Province: | New Brunswick |