fov Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 (edited) Last night I made an impulse buy on eBay. I paid $125 with Buy It Now. Another of this same house has been up on eBay for several months, the seller originally listed it at something like $700 and has dropped the price a few times. That one was finished by Pat Bauder and the description says the house was part of a class at Philadelphia Miniaturia in 1999. You can tell from the pics of the one I bought that it's not as nicely finished but that's why it called out to me... I've looked at the more expensive auction multiple times and it never occurred to me that I'd want to buy it. (Not even because of the price, just because I didn't want the house.) I think there's something about seeing a house that's nicely finished and thinking "it's not for me" but when you see one that needs work, you start to get excited about the possibilities... I also saw this house in person at the CHAMPS show last September (I think the price was $200 or $300... I wasn't tempted to buy it then either!) So I've now seen three different versions, and they're all basically the same - white stucco, green roof, seated on a styrofoam "hill" on a base that looks like a plaque. I'm so curious to see a picture of the house finished differently, but if it was part of a class, maybe they're all more or less the same? I want to make mine a Tudor, maybe paint the shingles brown/black and add timbers to the walls. Since the house is already put together that might limit what I can do with it (at that price I don't want to completely destroy it!) so I'll have to wait and see how it is when it shows up in the mail. You can tell from the pictures that there's some paint that goes "outside the lines", the chimney needs work (seems like someone tried to add color to the stones and then realized they didn't know what they were doing and wisely stepped away...), and I think some of the window glass has paint on it. For the interior I'm thinking 1700s or early 1800s, with a big walk-in fireplace in the kitchen and a loom and a spinning wheel in the front room. If anyone has leads on pictures of this house finished differently, please point me in the right direction! Or of pics of any Bauder Pine houses. I've seen a few on eBay and in Nutshell News magazines but haven't come upon any really good pics online. EDIT: Found another online that's very similar to the "summer / winter house" on eBay: http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/7134773 EDIT March 2015: Turns out this is *not* a Bauder Pine house, but a Bill Lankford. More details in this post. Edited September 19, 2015 by fov 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minigrandma10 Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 Congratulations on you new house. I await pictures after you improve it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GirlPiper Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 I'm sure you'll do it justice. Anticipating photos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 I see why it called your name, Emily. What nice bones it has! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kellyannmo Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 Wow.... lucky find, you are going to have a blast with this house. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rackey Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 I think the fun part with any dollhouse of any scale or model is that you can make it your own, and that was probably why this one called out to you. I love to see fully furnished houses, but while we may get ideas from certain decorating styles, we know there is always something we could and probably would do differently if we had the same house. I'm glad you got a good deal on this purchase. I love the way the spiral steps leading to the front door, and the inside looks delightful to work with. - Have fun. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blondie Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 Congrats!! What a fun find. I've never heard of this kind of house before, but I'll watch for them for you. And fantastic price! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dalesq Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 I think it will make a lovely Tudor. It has that storybook feel already. I especially like that corner window, and it's ringing a bell. Didn't someone on the forum get a kit that had a window like that. I seem to remember discussion about an unusual window. Have fun with it. I hope you post some pics when you get it for the "before" shots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fov Posted March 10, 2014 Author Share Posted March 10, 2014 Thanks everyone! I always berate myself a little after a purchase like this, because I certainly didn't need it, so it's good to hear from the enablers. Debora, you might be thinking of the foamcore house I got at the Dollhouses Trains and More parking lot sale for $2, it has a similar corner window. It has coincidentally been sitting untouched since I bought it (I did buy some supplies for it, though!) Eh, I guess if I average out the price of that impulse buy and this impulse buy I only spent about $75 on each. :lol: Just today I finished up the last bits I told myself I had to do on the Rosedale before I started a new project. I was deciding between the Gull Bay and building the Elizabeth Anne before this Bauder Pine house found its way into my possession. I'll probably work on the Gull Bay first, because I already have all the stuff I need. That'll give the new house time to speak to me... 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eskava Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 That looks to me like a Bill Lankford workshop project. I wonder if it will come with any paperwork about it's background? It's so pretty. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selkie Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 Curious about the eye hook on the second floor ... what do you suppose that was for? Love that corner window. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dalesq Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 Emily, you're right, it was your foam core house. I kept thinking it was you but that seemed too coincidental :lol: Good luck with the new house Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fov Posted March 10, 2014 Author Share Posted March 10, 2014 Curious about the eye hook on the second floor ... what do you suppose that was for? Love that corner window. I was wondering that too! No idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 Maybe the eyehook was to chain it down at shows, so it wouldn't go "walking" out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 Curious about the eye hook on the second floor ... what do you suppose that was for? Love that corner window. Maybe a place to secure your rope when you want to rappel down to the ground floor? I notice there are no stairs. I love the haphazard stacking of the stones in the chimney. The stone mason was definitely not obsessive-compulsive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juliana Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 I was a "watcher" on this house's auction! Only a serious lack of funds kept me from pulling the trigger. I think it is so unique and adorable. I especially love the rustic placement of the chimney stones. Can't wait to see what you do with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blondie Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 I'm excited! I've been secretly waiting for you to work on Gull Bay. Wheeeeeeee!!! Also, don't feel guilty! (Says girl who always feels guilty lol)!!!!! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fov Posted March 13, 2014 Author Share Posted March 13, 2014 The dollhouse is en route! FedEx has "N/A" as the expected arrival date, so I have no clue when to expect it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blondie Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 Well, at least we know FedEx is speedy!! I'll cross my fingers for you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fov Posted March 15, 2014 Author Share Posted March 15, 2014 Estimated delivery is Monday. Guess that means I'll start the Gull Bay this weekend. :lol: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted March 15, 2014 Share Posted March 15, 2014 Estimated delivery is Monday. Guess that means I'll start the Gull Bay this weekend. :lol: Sounds like a plan! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fov Posted March 17, 2014 Author Share Posted March 17, 2014 Arrived today! I unpacked it and only had time for a cursory look so far. One of the windows is entirely covered in paint. The windows are hard plexiglass (not the flimsy inserts) and don't look like they'll be easily popped out, so I need to figure out what to do about that. First thing I did after I set it up was unscrew that eye hook! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 Depending on the paint, it ought to be easier to remove from plexi than from acetate! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fov Posted March 18, 2014 Author Share Posted March 18, 2014 I went back downstairs to look at it "just for a minute" and started tearing it apart. (Once you start it's hard to stop!) Turns out the windows weren't so hard to pop out. :lol: I removed them and the inserts and will replace the inserts. I also yanked off the flower boxes, the front door, some of the decorative wooden brackets, and the corner window -- that's the only part that I damaged trying to remove it, but it had to be done and I think I can recreate it even better. Some of the stucco is really, really thick... like someone went nuts decorating a cake. Not sure what it's made from but I might want to sand it down some before repainting. For the wood trim, I think I'll probably just cover up what's already there with thin basswood. And I'm going to paint the shingles a darker color, and fix up the chimney. The Styrofoam base is in rough shape. I can probably rehab it but for now I've put it up on a shelf to worry about much later... I took some pics but haven't grabbed them off the camera yet... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blondie Posted March 20, 2014 Share Posted March 20, 2014 I'm looking forward to seeing them. Sounds like a lot of rehab right away! *high five* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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