When I was about 5 or 6 years old, my Great-Uncle Harry built a simple but well-crafted dollhouse for me, just as he did for every little girl in the family when they reached that age. Mine, furnished with both store-bought beds and bureaus, and Mommy's decorative fabric touches, was something I played with for hours on end. At some point these playthings tended to be passed on to some younger child, so I have no idea where mine is now or whether it has even survived, but it did leave me with a lifelong appreciation of the charms of the dollhouse.

Before they were aimed at children dollhouses served a number of adult functions. The earliest known "baby house" was made in 1557 for the Duke of Bavaria. The Munich Baby House consisted of four stories filled with precious miniature objects made by skilled craftsmen and offering an unparalleled peek into this ducal household. In 17th century Germany and France, similar mini-domiciles were often commissioned by men to flaunt their wealth and social position. At the same time, they were used as instructional aids in the teaching of domestic skills in the 1600s and 1700s, a time when few women had any formal schooling.

In the United States, they were made and sold commercially as far back as the late 1700s, fashioned by Dutch craftsmen who had settled in the east. By the middle of the next century, they had been refined to include highly specific details, down to the smallest utensil — sometimes made of precious gold and silver, were divided into separate rooms, and, again, lavishly furnished to reflect the ornate styles of the day. These objects of miniaturized decorative art were still not yet meant as children's playthings, but were made for the enjoyment of adults. Finally, around the end of the 19th century, they had come to be seen as toys for young girls. Around this time, they began to be constructed more precisely to scale — most usually at 1 inch to 1 foot.

By the early 20th century, several toy companies had taken the lead in manufacturing dollhouses, in particular the R. Bliss Manufacturing Co. of Pawtucket, R.I., maker of beautifully lithographed paper on wood houses; the A. Schoenhut Co. of Philadelphia, which specialized in brightly painted bungalows, Tynietoy of Providence, R.I., Tootsietoy, N.D. Cass, and Morton E. Converse & Son — their products all highly sought after. Fine furnishings — especially in the Biedermeier style featuring stenciled Victorian decoration — can sell for several hundred dollars apiece.

While most modern collectors collect modern dollhouses, occasionally vintage treasures will come on the market. At the time of writing, for instance, two such examples are appearing on eBay: the 1852 "Wharton Mansion" dollhouse, which descended through the Wharton family of Philadelphia, an imposing three-story Greek Revival structure, fully furnished with antique pieces by well-known makers and housing a family of charming dolls (estimated at $25,000 to $35,000); and the large Victorian "Stauffer Family" dollhouse, also from Philadelphia, c. 1900, complete with all its original furnishings — a bargain at $10,000 to $15,000.

RECOMMENDED REFERENCE

The highly informative and beautifully illustrated new book "Dollhouses from the V&A Museum of Childhood" by curator Halina Pasierbska (Victoria & Albert Museum; $45.) focuses on one of the premier dollhouse collections in the world, which comprises outstanding examples ranging from the Tudor period to the modern 1950s and more contemporary designs. The book presents a history of dollhouses from their inception, focusing on individual examples (including the one made for the future Queen Elizabeth on her sixth birthday), with close-ups of various rooms — bedrooms, living and dining rooms, nurseries, kitchens and bathrooms — and their furnishings; and there is a chapter on dollhouse furniture and its makers.

Linda Rosenkrantz has edited Auction magazine and authored 18 books, including "Cool Names for Babies" and "The Baby Name Bible" (St. Martin's Press; www.babynamebible.com). She cannot answer letters personally. To find out more about Linda Rosenkrantz and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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