The Doll House Table Story Finally Told!

Greetings and Salutations Doll Friends!

Recently, as I was looking in my phone for some old photos in my phone I noticed I still had quite a lot of 'Blog photos' that, as best I could tell, hadn't ever been posted or written about for whatever reason. My common practice is to upload the photos into Blogger and, once they've posted successfully, delete them off my phone. As you can imagine, otherwise, I might have a phone full of photos and quickly run out of 'space' for them.

So as I looked through my photos I noticed I'd never uploaded or written about the table and chair set I have in the Doll House. I kind of mentioned it in this post about my Engel Puppe German Dolls because I got the table at the same time I got them but then, as best as I can after searching through my old blog posts, that's all I said about them. However, I did take photos with the intentions of telling you all about them... So... We will travel back in time to December of 2015 when I was lucky enough to happen to look on Craigslist for 'American Girl Doll' items. 

This beautiful table and chairs was listed for only $25.00!! I recall it had been listed for a while and I was worried it'd probably been sold already but nope, the sweet young woman wrote back and said she still had it and it was mine if I wanted it. Yes! Yes I did want it. 

The young woman said it'd been made for her by her grandpa and it made me kind of sad to think of even buying it and her letting go of such a treasure but she explained she has a small house and new babies of her own and it was time. So, far be it from me to question her decision, I just was happy to be the recipient of such a great heirloom quality set! I told her I'd 'have my daughter' take good care of it.. Looking back I should've told her the name of my blog so she could come and 'visit' and know it was in good hands but back then I was a bit more shy about talking dolls in real life. Isn't it funny the things we get embarrased about? Life is too short, eh?

Even to this day, I am still impressed by the quality of the set. They were made as if they were to be used by 'real' people and for 100 years. Just so sturdy, well done and 'heavy', the man who made them put real craftmanship into his work. 

You can tell by looking at the chairs what I mean... 

Just quality in every little detail! Athough it looks like maybe I should've dusted them a bit better before I took these photos... I tell you, 'the devil is in the details' as they say. It's a good thing I am less and less of a perfectionist as I get older or I'd probably never get a thing done. 

Same story with the table... I just love the way it's constructed so sturdy and sound. I haven't tried it but I am pretty sure I could stand on this table with my full weight and it'd be fine and dandy. It's just that sturdy.

I tried to photograph it from all angles to show you how well it is constructed. 

The set was immediately one of my favorite items of doll furniture and is probably still one of the most used furniture items in the Doll House. Dolls always have to eat, right? 

I think the table was fashioned after a table American Girl Doll made back in their Pre-Mattel Pleasant Company days. Those were the days I would get the oversize catalogs in the mail every so often, even as a grown woman in the 1990's, and I would look through every page admiring everything. I was, at the time, silly enough to think that dolls were mostly for little girls and it would be silly to buy anything like that as an adult. What a silly notion! Right?

Here is a photo of the Kirsten Set from back then... Looking at it more closely, I am pretty sure my set was made much more sturdy. I am also glad not to have the painted on flowers. They are pretty but would kind of pigeonhole the table into a certain 'look'. If that makes sense. 

I also found this set online as I was researching the orignal table a bit... It looks like the set was reproduced by other people too. I honestly think the design on mine is much more sturdy! You can tell it was made by a Nebraskan! We build things to last forever, eh? Hahaha. My great-grandkids' dolls would likely be able to use this table if it is kept that long, not even kidding. 

As you can see, I've used the set in many postings! I have found a bench that looks like it was made for it and two chairs with 'arms' that I also found for a song back when I first started getting pulled into the exciting world of dolls when my daughter was swept into 18inch Doll love herself... I was happy at how well they matched the table and other chairs when I got them home!

The dolls have had fancy Chusuk dinners on the table!

They've had casual girlfriends lunches.

I even added a large cardboard rectangle to the top of the table to make it large enough for Thanksgiving Dinner at the Doll House. 

So it's been a greatly loved set and I am so glad to have found it. Keep your eyes on Craigslist and perhaps you'll find a great doll treasure for your Doll House too!! Have you ever had a Craigslist score? I'd love to hear about it in comments! 

Better run!

Till Next Time!
XXOO
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