Sunday, July 4, 2010

Thank you Jean and Mini2b!!

Good thing #2.
Jean R. of Florida sent me an email regarding my inquiry for Ira Grandberg's dollhouse plans (read the comments on My Vintage Dollhouses and Other Treasures). She found the plans in her attic and made PDFs of them for me. She scanned them in pieces allowing overlap so they could be assemble like a jigsaw puzzle. (45 pages!!!) Jean also attached a booklet of directions and diagrams for making the furniture and accessories "From the Mid-October 1976 issue of Woman's Day A Dream of Dollhouse To Build" (another 18 pages!) Thank you so much Jean!! I've been dying to get my hands on these and have been getting all sorts of ideas to build items. Coincidentally, I had just built my first couch the week prior, and although my measurements were slightly different, I constructed the frame the same as Mr. Grandberg. I had mocked up several different layouts but thought it was pretty cool I ended up using the same one as his.

If you are interested in getting a copy of the plans, please contact Mr. Grandberg at www.grandbergarchitects.com.

Since a version of the dollhouse went up on ebay (now it's starting at $225) several of us had been trying to track down the plans. Mini2b searched and bought the October 1976 issue, but then found out it was the "Mid" October issue (jeesh, how many issues of Woman's Day came out in a month?). She tried the library, but the electronic copies of the magazine only go back to 1977. Mini2b even contacted the Museum of the City of New York where The Woman's Day dollhouse (Ira Grandberg's) is part of the Museum's collection (MCNY accession
number 76.118). Only to find out that the Museum doesn't sell plans for this dollhouse, and their curatorial files are in storage so they couldn't access the magazine article that featured the house. Finally, she tracked down and contacted Mr. Grandberg directly and he sent her this response: "Your e-mail is timely in that I have been looking into 're-introducing' the plans to the market. I'll look into the logistics of establishing a mailing package and its related out-of-pocket costs. Thanks for linking me into the blog-very exciting! If you wish to contact the blog and pass on my information, I have no problem."
Thanks for all of the great sleuthing Mini2b!!!

6 comments:

  1. Wow! How wonderful! Anthropologists or archeologists? CM

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  2. I'll be glad to email .pdfs of the plans to anyone who wants them! Write me at ballroom16@aol.com. Jean

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  3. Thanks Jean for offering to share them. I'm sure some folks will be emailing you. :)

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  4. I have this dollhouse and also the original plans. It's time for the house to find a new home - if you are interested, please email me at minniepins at gmail dot com

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  5. The plans, pictures, and original Woman's Day magazine article are available for downloading free under my name (Jean Rafenski Reynolds) at www.Scribd.com. Have fun!

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