V&A Experience: Dressing a 17th-Century Dolls' House
Culture & Travel
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13m
Step into the 17th century (in miniature!) with Curator Will and Conservators Robert and Dana as they dress the delicate Nuremberg Dolls' House.
Made in Germany in 1673 (as written on the chimney), this is the oldest dolls' house in the V&A's collection. At this time, dolls' houses were made to reflect the lives of the wealthy people who owned them – in this case an apothecary (chemist).
Join Dana as she prepares and manoeuvres the extremely pillowy bed, and Robert as he assesses the condition of the intricate metal decorations, including plates, dishes and exquisitely painted pewter tankards. Watch as Will as oversees the operation, placing the tiny furniture into the house just as as it would have originally been.
Timestamps:
00:00 Ringing the bell
00:20 Getting ready for display
00:35 Making the bed
02:44 Hanging a unicorn's head above the door
03:44 Unpacking and checking condition of miniature metal kitchenware
07:27 Arranging the kitchen
11:36 Dolls' Houses at Young V&A
11:50 Context and detail of the fully dressed dolls' house