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Vintage Country Estate Doll House by S/W Crafts


Just G

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Hello Everyone, 

This is my first dollhouse restoration and so glad to have found this site.  I researched prior to buying and read for your first one, you should start small, a room box or small home.  Well, I came across this large grand old farmhouse needing to be completed, one look and I was smitten; I bought the Farm.  I have not seen any other one like it, nor when searching S/W Crafts does anything come up.  If there is anyone that knows about this company and history I would be thrilled to know.  The home I now own is S/W Crafts, Inc Country Estate Doll house.  

I have the original build instructions which looks a bit vintage and the lady I purchased it from, her Father-in-law built it with the intention of her finishing. Well obviously that never happened because it had been in storage for quite a few years and is in fairy good shape, just needs lots of TLC.

Thanks for reading! 

G

  

 

Farmhouse.jpg

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Gloria, when you find a minute, please go to the Newcomers' Forum and post an introduction.  You didn't read that you should start small on this forum, you start with the kit that calls your name, touches your heart; anything less isn't going to call out the big guns of your creativity.  And what a gorgeous house to start with.

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Thanks!  I have so many plans, my head spins.  LOL  I ordered the Cir-Kit electrical kit and plan to do a lot of lights.  I never could imagine how much fun and relaxing this hobby could be.  I paid 50.00 for the house and she gave me a couple of  boxes full of people and furniture some not to scale.  Not sure what I'll keep and what I'll pass along.  I'll post progress. 

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I have your Etsy store booked marked.  I love the pillows and you have a great variety, I'm sure I'll be shopping there when the time comes for decorating contemporary country furnishings with antique look accessories. 
Thank you again.

Gloria

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Welcome Gloria! :wave: 

What a great house!  I do rehabs and have found that this is the most common fate of these houses: they are built with "good intentions" that never materialize and the poor house is left unfinished for the next 20, 30 years. 

The problem with rehabbing houses is that....well, they are built  which creates difficulties while trying to finish them.  It often means getting out the heat gun and carefully de-constructing parts of the house.  It is a pain, but if parts need to be fixed or replaced taking it apart just works better - plus painting parts is a lot easier than standing on your head to paint porch railings or interior window trim!  LOL

Looking forward to seeing your progress.  :)

 

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 2 months later...

Thanks!  It's over three months since I brought it home.  I turned two walls around on first floor, removed all the old windows and replacing with working double hung. The one pic shows the opening had to be rebuilt. 6 inch opening for a 5 inch window.  That was a head scratcher.  I have the interior all primed,  the cir-kit electrical kit ready, painted the exterior light gray, will have black shutters and dark red doors with brass accents.  I can now see how this is a labor of love; but absolutely a awesome hobby.  

 

Sharing some then and now pictures with you!  

Take care! 

G

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Lovely transformation.  You might want to start an album on the site for your pictures and post them from there.  There is a bandwidth limit on how many pictures you can post in the forum, but no limit on how many you can post in your albums and import from there to your posts.

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On May 3, 2017 at 4:14:38 PM, shannonc60 said:

It is looking beautiful Gloria, it is a lovely house!

Thank you! I'm so happy to have found it for my first house and appreciate your kind words.  I hope to create an album here to share with all of you.  If I can figure it out..lol! 

And..  Love your little quote!  

 

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6 hours ago, Just G said:

Thank you! I'm so happy to have found it for my first house and appreciate your kind words.  I hope to create an album here to share with all of you.  If I can figure it out..lol! 

And..  Love your little quote!  

 

Haha! Yeah, not sure where it's from but pretty apt!

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  • 10 months later...
  • 4 weeks later...

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Archive-Dollhouses-Miniatures/Cape-Cod-Dollhouse/td-p/1250557

Read this post.. This person said SWCrafts was his families business. I have the Fantasy Island House by this company. If you google SW Crafts dollhouses, you will find some information.  I found 1site that says Lombard Illinois..  Hope this helps.. 

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  • 9 months later...

Gloria -

I was thrilled to find your posts about the SW Crafts Country Estate Doll House. I picked up a kit of that maker and style for cheap - because it is missing a few parts. I think I could improvise them - IF I knew what they were. BUT - unfortunately, the box has only the label on the outside and there were no instructions included. Your photos are the most helpful details I have found so far on the internet.

I know it is asking a LOT - but I would be ever so grateful if you could find a way of copying the instructions or shooting pix of them so I could have some sort of idea how to assemble this beautiful house.

I love what you have shared already and would be excited to see more photos of any progress since the last post.

Thanks for considering helping out a fellow miniature house enthusiast.

LeeB

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  • 2 weeks later...

Air2Glass here!

just inherited my first large amount of Doll House Stuff Also 2 large kits and wanting to get starterd I opened the VM 800 Victorian Mansion by Dura-Craft.

Looks about the same as the large scale RC Planes I use to build. Lots of wood!!!!

I also acquired a very large amount of furniture and furniture and furniture.

Anybody have any ideas where to start? or even put back into kit and sell all as one?

 

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Hi, Timothy, when you feel a bit better you might want to post us an introduction in the Newcomers' Forum.  My first kit was a Dura-Craft San Franciscan and my second was the D-C Cambridge (both built over 30 years ago) and I had absolutely no experience playing with wood; if a granny can do this, so can you!  I found the instruction book to be the best help.  Among other things there are full-size drawings of the cross sections of your wood pieces.  You'll have to be more careful cutting them, though;  The company went out of business about the time I acquired the Newburg, so no more free replacement of messed up parts.  I haven't built the Newburg yet because that's when I discovered Greenleaf kits.

6 hours ago, AIR2GLASS said:

...Anybody have any ideas where to start?...

Invest in a carpenter's square, hobby saw and miter box, make sure your building surface is perfectly flat, and start.  If your kit came with a VHS tape like my SF555 did, I didn't find it very helpful except for the part where the company owner tells the builder if things aren't flush, trim them with a utility knife.

6 hours ago, AIR2GLASS said:

...or even put back into kit and sell all as one?

Not by the hair of your chinny-chin-chin.  You can do this.

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  • 4 years later...
On 2/1/2017 at 5:29 PM, Just G said:

Hello Everyone, 

This is my first dollhouse restoration and so glad to have found this site.  I researched prior to buying and read for your first one, you should start small, a room box or small home.  Well, I came across this large grand old farmhouse needing to be completed, one look and I was smitten; I bought the Farm.  I have not seen any other one like it, nor when searching S/W Crafts does anything come up.  If there is anyone that knows about this company and history I would be thrilled to know.  The home I now own is S/W Crafts, Inc Country Estate Doll house.  

I have the original build instructions which looks a bit vintage and the lady I purchased it from, her Father-in-law built it with the intention of her finishing. Well obviously that never happened because it had been in storage for quite a few years and is in fairy good shape, just needs lots of TLC.

Thanks for reading! 

G

  

 

Farmhouse.jpg

Hi Just G, saw your comment above, regarding your country estate dollhouse, model #190, s/w crafts, inc., purchased in 1980's.

I've lost my instructions on putting it together, any advice o where/how to get them? Would appreciate your feedback on this. Thank you, Sue O.

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On 5/3/2017 at 9:06 AM, Just G said:

Thanks!  It's over three months since I brought it home.  I turned two walls around on first floor, removed all the old windows and replacing with working double hung. The one pic shows the opening had to be rebuilt. 6 inch opening for a 5 inch window.  That was a head scratcher.  I have the interior all primed,  the cir-kit electrical kit ready, painted the exterior light gray, will have black shutters and dark red doors with brass accents.  I can now see how this is a labor of love; but absolutely a awesome hobby.  

 

Sharing some then and now pictures with you!  

Take care! 

G

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On 5/3/2017 at 9:06 AM, Just G said:

Thanks!  It's over three months since I brought it home.  I turned two walls around on first floor, removed all the old windows and replacing with working double hung. The one pic shows the opening had to be rebuilt. 6 inch opening for a 5 inch window.  That was a head scratcher.  I have the interior all primed,  the cir-kit electrical kit ready, painted the exterior light gray, will have black shutters and dark red doors with brass accents.  I can now see how this is a labor of love; but absolutely a awesome hobby.  

 

Sharing some then and now pictures with you!  

Take care! 

G

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I simply cannot believe this. This was my childhood dollhouse! We put Bay windows on the front. My Dad handcut shingles for the roof, and we painted it a beautiful colonial blue. 

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  • 1 month later...

Hi everyone! I have the instructions to this house. I was googling about it, and found this post. 

 

If you want me to send them to you, please reach out to me through direct message here. 

 

 

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