Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House
Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House, conceived in 1920 and first exhibited at Olympia in 1924, is a meticulously detailed miniature Hampton‑Court‑like palace 2.6m by 1.5m, for which Lutyens designed the façades, interiors and much furniture while Jekyll planned the garden, now permanently housed at Windsor Castle.
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Description
The idea for the Dolls House was first conceived at the dinner party given in 1920 by Sir Herbert Morgan. The house measures 2,590mm long (North and South) and 1,473mm wide (East and West). The main façade recalls the centre of Hampton Court. Lutyens designed all the interiors and many of the pieces of furniture – notably the Library furniture, garden seats, St. Ursula bed in the Night Nursery, and Kitchen and Linen Room tables (which are like those in the kitchen at Castle Drogo). The garden was planned by Gertrude Jekyll. The Dolls’ House first went on display at the British Empire Exhibition at Olympia in 1924, where it was houses in a pavilion designed by Lutyens. It is now at Windsor Castle. (Amery et al, 181, cat no.201)
Bibliography
Amery, C., Richardson, M. and Stamp, G., (1981) Lutyens, the Work of the English Architect Sir Edwin Lutyens (1869-1944): Hayward Gallery London, 18 November 1981 – 31 January 1982. London: Arts Council of Great Britain., Tyack G, Bradley S, Pevsner N (2010) Berkshire. The Buildings of England. New Haven: Yale University Press.
THE QUEEN’S DOLL’S HOUSE: MR. CONNARD’S DECORATIONS AT WINDSOR. 1929. Country Life (Archive : 1901 – 2005), 65(1690), pp. 812-815.
HUSSEY, C., 1924. THE QUEEN’S DOLL’S HOUSE: THE PALACE OF THEIR MAJESTIES THE KING & QUEEN OF LILLIPUT. Country Life (Archive : 1901 – 2005), 55(1414), pp. 202-211.
