Object Name: Dollhouse
Artist/Maker/Manufacturer/Founder: Family of William Charles ForsterMaterial/Medium/Support: N/A
Earliest Production Date and Latest Production Date: 1921
Dimension: N/A
Accession # : 88-9.1
Institution Name: CMCC
Copyright: CMCC
Transcript
The Forster Dollhouse has been a long project in the making for the Forster family. In 1868 the Forster family immigrated to Canada from Ireland, bringing with them a collection of over 80 miniatures. The dollhouse you see today was built in 1921 to house the ever-growing collection of miniatures. Six generations of the Forster family are documented in this miniature estate, and many of the tiny treasures were handcrafted by family members. One of the oldest pieces in the collection is a small music book inscribed with the date 1845 and the names of the Forster children. Throughout the years, the house has undergone several renovations including the installation of electricity and wood flooring. It is an excellent example of how a dollhouse can act as both heritage portal and family heirloom. Today, staff at the Canadian Children’s Museum decorate the home according to the seasons, just as the Forster family had done for so many years.
Description
The Forster dollhouse has been a long project in the making for the Forster family. For many of us, a dollhouse represents a toy; a child attempting to live momentarily in a grown-up world. Early dollhouses, however, were not intended to be played with in this way. Instead, they were often prized showpieces. The Forster collection began in Ireland around 1845; the date is inscribed by Catharine Forster next to the names of her children in a small music book that used to sit on a miniature piano. The collection of over 80 miniatures immigrated to Canada with the family in 1868, and became a family heirloom thereafter. The dollhouse you see today was built in 1921 to house the ever-growing collection of miniatures. Six generations of the Forster family are documented in this small-scale estate. Many of the treasures are handcrafted by family members. A tiny watercolour by the prominent Canadian artist, William Charles Forster, features his three children. A teapot cover is made from an old wedding dress. The bellows are made from Catherine Forster’s buttons. There is an astonishing amount of attention paid to every detail throughout the house, from the wedding invitation to a block of ice for the ice box. Throughout the years, the house has undergone many renovations including the installation of electricity and wood flooring. Today, staff at the Canadian Children’s Museum make a concerted effort to keep the house alive by decorating the home according to the seasons, just as the Forster family had done for so many years.
Laurie Filgiano
THE FORSTER FAMILY DOLLHOUSE: A CHILD’S PLAYTHING, AN ADULT’S COLLECTIBLE, A NATIONAL TREASURE
Laurie Filgiano,
M.A., Art History, Concordia University.
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