sommerstern7 Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 I know I haven't been on here in FOREVER and for that I must say I'm sorry I have been so busy and I miss everyone. On the flip side, I figured someone might be able to benefit from what happened to me in this story, so here it is... A short time ago, I saw an auction for a vintage half scale Fairfield. It was older and looked as though it needed work, but it was a FINISHED house and seemed to only need some remodeling. Although I have a nice collection of half scale furniture, I have never worked in half scale before, but I have built a 1/144th tudor and am currently finishing a 1/4 scale manor, so with all of my new found interest in smaller scales, I thought "WHY NOT?", bid on it, and won. I of course could not wait for my prized conquest to arrive at my door, even making certain to pay the extra postage to receive it via UPS. I was irritated to find that despite my efforts, the house was sent USPS instead (strike one). The day my mail carrier arrived at my door with a rather tattered looking package that was comprised of two cardboard boxes taped together--no FRAGILE tape or HANDLE WITH CARE sticker to be seen (strike 2), I became skeptical. Normally I open packages inside, but something told me to take this outside and open it, which I did PROMPTLY (probably due to the excitement I was still feeling at this point). I took it and a small cutter out to my back patio where I tried to find a place to open this Rubic's Cube of a box that it was sent in. I found the least possible point of damage to the house would be from the bottom and proceeded to cut open the box. Sure enough, the house was now upside down, so I turned the entire box around and lifted the box, old newspaper, and plastic bags wrapped in masking tape upward and away from the house. At this point a smell so HORRID hit me, it about knocked me over. Clearly this package came from a smoker, but it smelled as if perhaps the tiny half scale residents who dwelled inside the home prior were all smokers as well. But even still, I had hopes for this little treasure box and continued to pursue it and it's nicotine yellowed wallpaper and floor paper, trying to envision it's rebirth of beauty as I held the unique 13 room house in my hands. Looking on, I overlooked many MANY bubbles and holes in the paper which I initially planned on stripping anyway. As I looked down it's long corridors, I spotted lots of spiders and what APPEARED to look like small crickets trapped in some of the cobwebbing. The posting did say that it may need some light dusting, so I pressed on in my eager exploration of the house... I had dreamed of pinks, whites, and pastels to brighten just about every room in this house--with a few coats of french vanilla and crisp white trim for the exterior. It was not until I was looking at the very LAST bathroom just before I was about to carry my purchase into my own house that I noticed a rather small curled up brownish thread bow on the tiny curtain which adorned it's interior window that I eventually came to decide that I was "DONE". I touched the bow gently with my fingertip and noticed that it was not soft or fluffy as one might expect, so hence, I grabbed a ripped plastic grocery bag (that was generously included as part of the hundreds of other pieces of paper trash used for packing and padding this house), and gently pulled at the bow--which I was already suspecting to NOT be a bow because it didn't match anything and looked out of place, although perfectly centered on the curtain. After a good tug and four of what appeared to be legs ripped off into the curtain, I managed to pull my trophy into view. Hey! That's NO CRICKET!!!! And I do believe I KNOW exactly what "that" is! (and "that" was most definitely strike 3). I mean--REALLY? Some LIGHT dusting???? I promptly removed the box, ALL that PACKING material with crumpled newspapers and tape (ugh! the hiding places of these things were ENDLESS--if Not the Fairfield's 4 tiny fireplaces, wallpaper, tiny hallways, or chimneys; then the actual box's, tape, bags and newspaper stuffing). I placed it in a storage unit that I have--far enough away from my home where the roaches can't find it, vacuumed my house TWICE, just in case any of it--eggs or whatever made it inside from the unopened packaging--showered, laundered my clothing, called and spoke with an exterminator-who helped calm me down, and contacted the seller to figure if I can send it back for a refund or if I should take it to a dumpster. I am still nauseous just thinking about it! I will NEVER buy another used, site unseen dollhouse again. Thank goodness my instincts told me NOT to open this package in my real house...too bad I was too curious about it to have decided to refuse it or NOT open it and mark return to sender on the box. This was a small mistake that could have turned (or maybe still could turn) into a major catastrophe. Has anyone else ever had this happen to them when purchasing a finished dollhouse or is this just my luck? Yuck! At any rate, I hope that my experience helps my fellow dollhouse friends on this forum to be cautious when ordering a dollhouse that has lived inside of someone else's house before it comes to live in your home. Sometimes these small houses can be a very accurate duplicate of the house from which it came, as was the case of my unfortunate acquisiton of the otherwise very lovely little Fairfield, so Buyers Beware. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 What a horror story! I could feel my flesh crawling as you described the unpacking. It reminded me of Dante's circles of hell! If this was an eBay auction, I'd sure register a complaint against the seller at the very least. I hope you can at least get your money back. Any chance that you paid with PayPal? That would give you another avenue of recourse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-defunct account- Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 Oh my gawds Robin. That made my skin crawl...no joke. I am so sorry to hear you had such a huge let down on what was supposed to be a fun new project. I'm sorry but I did laugh at the it smelled as if perhaps the tiny half scale residents who dwelled inside the home prior were all smokers as well . Thank you letting others know exactly what it is they might be in for. We should all make use of the ask the seller a question button before bidding and if you're not 100% satisfied with the answer, walk... no RUN far far away. I had one recently completely dodge a question I posed. The listing only showed two very close up pictures of a house kit. I inquired about the state of the entire box and if they planned to double box etc. They responded by saying " this is a kit you know, you have to build it yourself. I won't be adding anything extra for shipping, the box is thick". RED FLAG. I didn't bid and neither did anyone else thank goodness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sommerstern7 Posted February 1, 2012 Author Share Posted February 1, 2012 What a horror story! I could feel my flesh crawling as you described the unpacking. It reminded me of Dante's circles of hell! If this was an eBay auction, I'd sure register a complaint against the seller at the very least. I hope you can at least get your money back. Any chance that you paid with PayPal? That would give you another avenue of recourse. Yes! Dante's Circle of Hell--I think you've pegged it Kathie! The venue that I took fortunately has a protection plan for its buyers, and using paypal was a great help in this situation, but no matter how much protection these plans offer for your wallet, none of them can protect your home should something like this get mailed to it. Ugh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad for Mod Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 Al I have to saw is EEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWW!!!!!! and I hope you get your money back! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sommerstern7 Posted February 1, 2012 Author Share Posted February 1, 2012 I had to laugh at "the box is thick". RED FLAG. and think to myself...' and obviously so is the seller.' LOL! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fov Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 Yuck yuck yuck! What a horrible story! Hope you get your money back. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momof2Moos Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 Eeeeeeeeeeeewww!!! I would have been a spazz on my porch at the first tiny creature sighting. The roaches and spiders would have had me screaming and doing the heeby jeeby dance all the way down the street. Certainly hope you get your money back. *shudders* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CheckMouse Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 You ought to tell the mailman about it - give him the heebie-jeebies also to know it was in his vehicle and in his hands - Please let us know how this saga ends - sure hope you at least get your money back! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Jupiter Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 OMG. What a story!!!! Spiders don't bother me but..........Roaches!!!!! YUCKKKKKK. Hope it all works out for you. Good luck. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 Living in the SE US one cannot help seeing the occasional spider or roach, but they don't live very long in the house once spotted. And no way should they take up that kind of residence in a dh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esther Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 I agree "Ewwww!" Makes me shudder just thinking about it. I hope you get your money back too! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sommerstern7 Posted February 2, 2012 Author Share Posted February 2, 2012 Living in the SE US one cannot help seeing the occasional spider or roach, but they don't live very long in the house once spotted. And no way should they take up that kind of residence in a dh! Holly, you are right and this came from that particular region, but this definitely gives one plausibility to wonder how bad the real house is if the dh has this kind of issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sommerstern7 Posted February 2, 2012 Author Share Posted February 2, 2012 I agree "Ewwww!" Makes me shudder just thinking about it. I hope you get your money back too! Esther, I was SO glad to mail it off. I hope I get my money back too, but I am more grateful to send it back to hell from where it came-lol! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sommerstern7 Posted February 2, 2012 Author Share Posted February 2, 2012 OMG. What a story!!!! Spiders don't bother me but..........Roaches!!!!! YUCKKKKKK. Hope it all works out for you. Good luck. Thank You Kat! I am a Roachophobe any way (if there is such a thing). I say Good Riddance to the house, no matter how beautiful it could have been, but the very thought of what I just experienced makes it so unworth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sommerstern7 Posted February 2, 2012 Author Share Posted February 2, 2012 I am hoping that I get my money back, minus the almost $20 shipping X 2 for each way that the seller does not wish to reimburse- which I will dispute, of course, but I cannot help but wonder how many things people acquire from online auctions that have these issues, and maybe never even realize. I mean, I have never been a snob about buying used items, esp collectable items, but I guess its becoming less and less worth it. There used to be what seemed to be a higher standard that people had when they posted their belongings for sale for others to buy, but I guess in this economy people just need money and those standards no longer seem to exist and now we have Roaches, Bedbugs, and Headlice to worry about when buying these items. It's sad and I feel sad for these individuals who live this way, but it may eventually seriously harm the internet trade industry if things can be passed that easily from household to household through the mail. It makes me wonder if illnesses/diseases will eventually be able to passed this way also, although that might be reaching a bit. Regardless, and at the very LEAST, it is so vital to sanitize everything you get when you get it used from anyone that you do not know--be it clothing, furnishings, or collectables; because, although whatever you purchased might be relieved to come live in your clean and beautiful home, you may not necessarily be relieved to live with what it may come with or what is attached to it. I have certainly learned my lesson. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sommerstern7 Posted February 2, 2012 Author Share Posted February 2, 2012 You ought to tell the mailman about it - give him the heebie-jeebies also to know it was in his vehicle and in his hands - Please let us know how this saga ends - sure hope you at least get your money back! I probably should tell him about it, but it might upset him and Im sure that package wasn't the only gross and infested package that he has had to handle or transport. It actually makes me appreciate and understand what postal workers probably have to deal with every day. I will def keep you posted on how this dh saga ends. Thanks for the words of support though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kreativitea75 Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 I actually bought a Newport kit off ebay ("still in box") and when it arrived I saw that it pieces had been spray painted, most of the windows had been installed (even though nothing else was put together?!), and it was covered in rodent droppings and dust. I washed it with lysol and resold it, disclosing its exact condition. Caveat Emptor (buyer beware) for sure! Still I am glad that it didn't have bugs or spiders - I totally would have freaked and scrubbed like you did! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sommerstern7 Posted February 2, 2012 Author Share Posted February 2, 2012 The irony in this is what made this particular house absolutely fascinating and unique in the way it was constructed- with the number of rooms, hallways, back rooms that were somewhat difficult to access, and hidden rooms that it had (13 altogether)- is what would made it creepy and from what I could see, impossible to clean. It is kind of sad. I think the Fairfield normally has @ 6-8 large rooms. These were divided up more and had extra walls. I imagined the possibilities every day in my head and was so excited to be getting this unique house. Once I received it, all I could imagine was how many roach eggs were inside it and how many insects were stuffed inside of the very hollow and very tall 4 fireplaces built into the center of the house-lol. What did it for me is when the exterminator that I promptly contacted told me that roaches are hitch hikers and will hide inside of book bindings or anything with paper and glue. I asked him if a wallpapered dollhouse would be an exception and he made it seem like not only was it NOT an exception, but a BUFFET. Yeah...DONE. It could have been a Gottschalk or a Bliss Dollhouse under the same circumstances and I still would have sent it back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Nathaniel Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 WOW, so sorry to hear about your experience with this house! Its crazy to read such a story because something similar just happened to me.... A woman tracked me down through my Dollhouse shop in Raynham, MA. She called and told me she had an old dollhouse for sale. She sent a few pictures of polaroids and I couldnt really make out if it was worth buying off her and rehabbing. Anyways, she came into my shop about a week and a half ago, and I went with her to her vehicle to see what she was selling. The house was definitely old, 35-40 years old. I noticed a slight musty smell but nothing that couldnt be fixed with some vinegar, bleach, water, febreeze, scrubbing, etc. Anyways, she was also selling a big box of vintage furniture to go with the HUGE house. It took up the entire back of my SUV. Anyways, I bought the entire lot off her, house and furniture. I worried a little bit about it sitting in my SUV all day but thankfully it didnt leave any smell in my vehicle as the mustly smell was very faint. I get the house home, and of course I am excited to get started on it. That night I start spraying it with a mixture of bleach and water and a mixture of vinegar and water, along with febreeze, and give it a good scrub down. I notice one spider on the first floor but quickly kill it and move on, no worries. I am pleased to see that the slight smell seems to be dissipating with very little effort. I go about my night and then around midnight I cant sleep so I figure Ill go work on this new house. I go downstairs, and give it another coat of spray and scrubbing. I then noticed that the roof of the house was coming off on one corner. I lift up the roof slightly and am able to push it back into place with the nails attached to it. However, when I lift up the roof I notice that the 3rd floor attic, closed on all sides by the roof, has been insulated. I think to myself "how strange that they used insulation in a dollhouse, maybe they were going for a realistic look?" STRANGE. Then, as I continue cleaning I start to notice a smell unlike the mustly smell that seems to be going away with my spraying and scrubbing. What I notice is hard to put my finger on at first. It smelled like some sort of wood? wood chips? I wasnt sure. I then thought "hmmm... maybe its the insulation thats been sitting in the attic for 35-40 years...?" Now comes the scary part. I decide that I need to get rid of all the insulation since the smell seems to be coming from the enclosed third floor attic under the roof. I start prying up the roof at one corner and notice that only the left third of the house was insulated. Still thinking that its strange that its been insulated, I pull the roof off further. I then notice that the insulation has tunnels throughout it and think, uh oh, thats strange, I then look down at the attic floor to see THOUSANDS OF MICE DROPPINGS! This was not insulation, it was a mice nest!!!!!!! EWWWW!!!! I freaked out like a little girl and slammed down the roof and walked away shuddering with disgust. I cant believe I bought a house with a mouse nest in it!!!! I cant believe this sat in my SUV all day!!! UGH!!!! lol. What I did next was immediately email the seller. I couldnt even touch the house after seeing what I had seen. I emailed her and let her know she had sold me a house with a mouse nest and thousands of mouse droppings on the 3rd floor. I tell her I will be destroying and burning and throwing out the house. My next thought is "GET IT OUT OF THE BASEMENT NOW!" Its now 1am and no one is awake in my house and the dollhouse is so big I knew it would be a struggle to get it out the bulkhead and into the backyard to be destroyed and burnt and thrown out. Anyways, I collect my thoughts and think, "I should throw away the nest so its doesnt fall out as I try to drag this dollhouse out of the basement by myself. I cant stand the thought of this sitting in my basement any longer" So, I pry off the roof with all around inch by inch and pull the roof off completely. I am so disgusted by the thousands of mice turds I have to walk away for a few minutes. I come back with rubber gloves on and paper towels over the gloves. lol I then begin to pick up the nest, fearing there could be dead or alive mice in it. I pick it up piece by piece and throw it all away and find no mouse carcasses or living mice just thousands of mice turds. I then proceeded to vacuum up the rest of the nest and all of the mice droppings. I stepped away from the house at this time, and thought, wow, what a shame that I have to destroy and throw out what could have been a charming house. It then hits me! The only damage done to the house was on the floor of the attic, the roof and none of the 1st or second floor were harmed. The attic was the only cozy spot that the mice had shacked up in. lol Therefore, I ripped off the third floor completely and the second floor now has cathedral ceilings! lol. In the days since this happened I have continued to bleach, scrub, febreeze, and tore out wallpaper, polyurethaned wood floors, etc. With all this and a coat of paint I think it will be in good shape. Any section damaged by mice was thrown out. Phew, I salvaged the house!! My business name, "Flip This Dollhouse" proved to be VERY true in this case. I am REALLY flipping this dollhouse. lol I also bought a Magnolia dollhouse on Ebay recently that reeked of cigarette smoke. Ive spent weeks trying to get it out with bleach, vinegar, water, febreeze, fabric softener sheets, scrubbing. Its almost gone but not quite. It smells like a faint florally cigarette smell now. lol Does anyone know where I can buy these odor away drops Ive heard about? I would put them in the house, cover the house with a bag, and let it sit for a few days, and I hear that works well. I also hear that leaving a pan of coffee grinds in the house works for absorbing smells (this also works in cars that have been smoke damaged). Anyways, in the end, the woman sent me a refund for the house. She felt awful that I had to see that and she of course had no idea of its true condition. Oh, by the way, the weird smell I had noticed was what I would describe as the smell of a hamster cage or small animal cage. I realized it once I saw the nest and droppings, and it all made sense. lol At least the house provided an interesting story to tell friends and family... lol -Nathaniel 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 :yucky: I think I'll stick to building houses from scratch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KoalaSam Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 What a creepy story! I do not like living or dead things in dollhouses! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sommerstern7 Posted February 2, 2012 Author Share Posted February 2, 2012 :yucky: I think I'll stick to building houses from scratch. Me too! LOL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sommerstern7 Posted February 2, 2012 Author Share Posted February 2, 2012 Okay...I thought that I had heard it all, until now... I decide that I need to get rid of all the insulation since the smell seems to be coming from the enclosed third floor attic under the roof. I start prying up the roof at one corner and notice that only the left third of the house was insulated. Still thinking that its strange that its been insulated, I pull the roof off further. I then notice that the insulation has tunnels throughout it and think, uh oh, thats strange, I then look down at the attic floor to see THOUSANDS OF MICE DROPPINGS! This was not insulation, it was a mice nest!!!!!!! EWWWW!!!! I freaked out like a little girl and slammed down the roof and walked away shuddering with disgust. I cant believe I bought a house with a mouse nest in it!!!! I cant believe this sat in my SUV all day!!! UGH!!!! lol. My God the THERAPY that I would need after that. This house must be huge to have all of that going on--did you take pictures? And see...that is just it. From the time I was a child, I have always been interested in antiques and old abandoned homes--just dreaming and imagining what they were like at one time or imagining how to make them beautiful again. I would LOVE to learn to do that kind of restoration work on old dollhouses to bring them back to life again...but these kinds of experiences just freak me out, ya know? To the point where I don't even want to think about attempting it. At least on a real house, the restorative work and remodeling are done on the actual site of the house itself; but THIS type of restoration, we bring this small house into our own homes and risk things like parasites ie: roaches, or the other horror story...termites which then can infest and destroy the structure of your REAL house (without even knowing that they are there), all while we are happily wiping all the insects and their unhatched eggs out of the dollhouse floors and onto our own... bleaching, scrubbing, cleaning, sanding, ungluing and gluing, papering and painting until that small structure reaches our own standards of clean while we unwittingly diminish the standard of our own living environment in our very home--ugh! And your post made me think of all the bacteria and disease that rodents carry that you and your family may have unknowingly been subjected to. It makes me think "is it really worth it?" People who are blessed with a workshop outside of their homes where they can work on these projects are SO fortunate. Its probably the safest way to protect one's homes from these kinds of nasty issues when working on an old dollhouse, but not many of us have that amenity, but those who do should consider themselves fortunate that they don't have to worry about this kind of thing. I have certainly learned my lesson, and will never attempt this type of thing again unless I have somewhere other than my own house to take it to. Yuck...so not worth it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrchob Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 Boy, I sure hope you get your money back. Doesn't the seller think far enough ahead to know that the buyer will notice. Guess after yours and Nathan's posts a regular question should be of the seller, "Is it infested?!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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