Dollhouse:Christmas House

Although it looks like a dollhouse, this is actually a "Christmas house" and represents a different form of play. "The family never called them dollhouses," the creator's granddaughter recalls. "We knew them as 'Christmas houses.' This was because they were put up each Christmas instead of a Christmas tree. We were never permitted to play with them. They were intended for display."

Modeled on an existing home in Philadelphia, this exquisite miniature house of wood and glass was handcrafted in the 1870s by William Chandler for one of his adult sons. Working in his spare time, Chandler included such intricate detailing as steps with a railing leading up to the double front door, bay windows, and three dormer windows along the shingled roof.

Although dollhouses served increasingly to teach young girls about housekeeping in the late 19th century, this house recalls a different tradition. Miniature houses also reflected the wealth and talents of their owners. At a time when factories mass-produced dollhouses, a rare example of individual craftsmanship like this served as a tribute to the skill and financial independence of its maker.