Jump to content

Old Walmer Dollhouse


Sydney

Recommended Posts

Hello - My question is not concerning a Greenleaf dollhouse, but hoping somebody could point me in the right direction. I am also not a "restorer" in anyway - I am as amateur as they come and can barely put a nail in the wall!

After many years in a box (28), in storage in numerous countries my old dollshouse is being reborn for Christmas. I am hoping to give it to my daughter for Christmas. It is a Walmer Dollhouse from around 1977/1978. I have reassembled it and it is in pretty good shape considering. It was never put together with glue so there is nothing for me to melt off..and I still have most of the wooden pegs to build it with. I had a few questions which I was hoping people here might be able to help me with..

1) I have found no site for Walmer dollhouses but they seem to still exist?

2) Does this dollhouse have any monetary value?

3) I was wondering whether I should leave it as is or paint it etc...and wouldn't want to do anything to destroy the original value..whether it be monetary or aesthetic.

4) It is a sort of Alexandria Manor house - in a not very attractive brown - but painting it another color might ruin its look or alter it...I have the same question abut the wood...should I varnish the floors and walls or keep it as is - very simple wood.

5) It has plastic windows on which were painted(I think) white window panes and other detail...they are all falling apart and coming off and I need to replace them...but with what and how?

6) There is wallpaper on the top floor which is coming off but it stuck...what is the best way to get if off and should I do something to the walls after

7) Some of the wooden pegs are missing so wondering how to stabilize it. Should I glue -and with what? Should I nail?

I have a photo of the outside but not sure how to attach it here...if anybody has any ideas or advice regarding my question, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks so much , Sydney

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello and Welcome Sydney!

Here is a link ?to some pictures of other Walmers on the site. They are old and a bit rare. Not many people on the site own them but just wait and someone will be able to help you.

I have not had enough coffee yet this morning (it is 6:44am here) so I am not going to attempt to answer any of your questions yet..LOL

You can attach a photo like this:

When you open a reply page..look at the bottom and see Manage current attachments (0)? Click on the Browse button to get your photo, then when you have the photo link in there, click upload. When it is done, you will see Manage current attachments (1). Open that drop down and click on a green thingy once and it will automattically put the pic link in this post. Then you can add your reply.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi,

I have assembled a couple of Walmer houses (in my gallery) so I will try to answer your questions.

1) I have found no site for Walmer dollhouses but they seem to still exist? Walmer was purchased by Real Good Toys a few years back. You can view their houses here: Real Good Toys. The Walmer houses are found under the Lilliput and Sophistikits sections.

2) Does this dollhouse have any monetary value? With rare exceptions, dollhouses seldom sell for anywhere near as much as they should. It is the rare builder who gets paid what they deserve for the time and money they put into the house.

3) I was wondering whether I should leave it as is or paint it etc...and wouldn't want to do anything to destroy the original value..whether it be monetary or aesthetic. That's hard to judge without a picture. Because Walmer designs are still in production, my guess is that you can rehab it without lowering its value.

4) It is a sort of Alexandria Manor house - in a not very attractive brown - but painting it another color might ruin its look or alter it...I have the same question abut the wood...should I varnish the floors and walls or keep it as is - very simple wood. That's a judgement call. I find that to get the look I want, I add a layer of floor covering. I have never tried the look of paneled walls, but I see no reason why you can't varnish to get that look. But consider adding mini mouldings or panels to enhance the paneling.

5) It has plastic windows on which were painted(I think) white window panes and other detail...they are all falling apart and coming off and I need to replace them...but with what and how? The Walmer kits I have made have standard sizes for windows and doors. If you can't salvage what you have, you can buy replacements from your dollhouse shop or online. Houseworks has some nice replacements and upgrades. Try to salvage what you can, replacement windows can get expensive when you add them up!

6) There is wallpaper on the top floor which is coming off but it stuck...what is the best way to get if off and should I do something to the walls after. You can spritz the wallpaper with a solution of vinegar and water, and scrape and sand what is left. If you get down to bare wood, use white paint to prime the wall before papering again. If you can't remove the paper, then scrape off what you can, sand the edges smooth, and paper over the old. They used to do that in real life houses all the time!

7) Some of the wooden pegs are missing so wondering how to stabilize it. Should I glue -and with what? Should I nail? The kits I built used glue and nails, so I'm not familiar with the peg assembly. Can you buy wooden dowels at the craft or hobby shop, and cut them to size to replace your pegs? If not, the Walmer kits I built used 3/4" brads and carpenter glue for assembly. Even if you use pegs, I would peg AND glue so it stays together in the future!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you for all your suggestions - here is a photo of the outside...i stupidly forgot to take it from the inside and now have de-assembled it!post-2605-1197295805_thumb.jpg Thank you...

PS: I live in France so not so sure about hobby shops and all that kind of thing here..the windows are plastic stick on windows so I was thinking I could buy some plastic at a hardware store and some white paint or pen or something - but I am a real amateur so this may be silly.... thanks for your help!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you for all your suggestions - here is a photo of the outside...i stupidly forgot to take it from the inside and now have de-assembled it!post-2605-1197295805_thumb.jpg Thank you...

PS: I live in France so not so sure about hobby shops and all that kind of thing here..the windows are plastic stick on windows so I was thinking I could buy some plastic at a hardware store and some white paint or pen or something - but I am a real amateur so this may be silly.... thanks for your help!

Wow, that's a beauty! With some TLC, it can really be a beauty. I see it becoming a lovely French country house. It is not any current Walmer house, although it defintely has Walmer "bones".

The windows appear to be the same windows that Real Good Toys still uses in their Lilliput (Walmer) homes. Measure the opening--Lilliput windows are a bit smaller than some dollhouse windows. You can either replace them with Lilliput upgrade windows (see the accessories section of Read Good Toys web site). If you use non-Lilliput windows you may need to enlarge the window opening.

I don't think it will hurt the value a bit to change the paint scheme. Here is an idea--instead of paint, why not stucco the exteroir or use MagikSton to give it a masonry look? You may even wish to shingle the roof. With a bit of work, this house will be a real gem!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree with Cricket!

I have some older kits that are discontinued and I am not worried about the monetary value. I just love them and will do them justice. You have a nice house there. I love it!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

38 yrs is a long time to wait.....so ENJOY!

what kind of things are you going to do with this house? something for the daughter to enjoy...a themed house? a seasonal house? it has a nice look...

I can only add a few things to your questions

1) I have found no site for Walmer dollhouses but they seem to still exist?

2) Does this dollhouse have any monetary value? Dollhouses have more value to you as the builder,the designer,the collector...than on an open market. unless you have something rare and unusual.

3) I was wondering whether I should leave it as is or paint it etc...and wouldn't want to do anything to destroy the original value..whether it be monetary or aesthetic. do you want to sell this house? because if you plan to build it and keep it and love it....it will be worth more to you and your family now and in the future...if it looks EXACTLY how you want it to look.

4) It is a sort of Alexandria Manor house - in a not very attractive brown - but painting it another color might ruin its look or alter it...I have the same question abut the wood...should I varnish the floors and walls or keep it as is - very simple wood. again I say if you dont like the color repaint it. if there is worry about stability than siding,stucco,and/or a new paint job will help this.

5) It has plastic windows on which were painted(I think) white window panes and other detail...they are all falling apart and coming off and I need to replace them...but with what and how? Transparencies can be cut to size and a sharpie can be used to do whatever to them....ever think about leaded or stained glass??

6) There is wallpaper on the top floor which is coming off but it stuck...what is the best way to get if off and should I do something to the walls after if the vinegar fails or needs something more...Ive hear you can also use a fabric softner/water mix. after the paper is off I would sand lightly and use a good primer.

7) Some of the wooden pegs are missing so wondering how to stabilize it. Should I glue -and with what? Should I nail? a very important question! I think using dowels to replace whats missing is a good idea! Im all for adding support. as I have never put together a house with peg I can only imagine they are there for a reason. so this has to be a builders call....if you think it needs more than the pegs for stability than use nails or a staple gun. a good wood glue should be used...Never Hot Glue!

the most important thing to remember is that this is FUN and when you are finished you will have a wonderully unique peice of art to give to your child. a One Of A Kind!

and that is the true worth of your dollhouse!

nutti :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bienvenue ! Votre anglais est très bon, mon épellation est très mauvais dans le comparision!

Yes, I can misspell word in several languages! :w00t:

There are wonderful miniature shops in Paris- the flea market is one of the best places I know to find miniatures. It is where I found my Dutch baby house. Though as I get older my flirty, ditzy personality is not as useful. I find the prices climbing in direct correlation with my aging so now my DIL does the haggling.

It is a nice house. Do what ever you want with it, by the time it has any $ value you will likely not be needing money any longer, so have fun now! A house needs to be built by someone well know be very unusual, hard to find or have some age to it. Even with an older house, knowing the houses history can add a great deal of value. There is free wallpaper you can print and all sort of other paper things for your house on the web. Just google dollhouse printies, I find something new every time I look.

Fabric Softener applyed with a sprayer will get off anywall paper applied with wall paper paste. If glue was used, you will have to sand it. I install wallpaper attached to light card and seldom glue wallpaper up with anything but the glue sticks kids use at school. The trim holds it just fine.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Suzanne, Vous des Canadiens êtes plein des suprises ! Quand je me pense à Canadia pensez Victoria pas Qubec. Hélas, mon Français est limité au petit entretien. Bien que je pense mon épellation est-elle meilleure qu'en Englais ? J'ai passé le temps les trois dernières semaines avec mes nices qui ne parlent pas Hébreu.

You Canadians are so full of suprises! When I think of Canadia I think Victoria not Quebec. Alas, my French is limited to small talk. Though I do think my spelling is better than in English? I spent much time in the last three weeks with my nices who do not speak Hebrew.

I am 50% sure that languages are not capitalized in French. French is one of the more common language of the different ethnic groups in Lebanon. Also the language where most people can not identify me as a Jew. I have an accent (more of a lilt) with English. I just scrolled up to make sure Sydney was in France. Yikes. there is NO more avoiding my real life. It is calling me, in a loud rude voice, I might add.

The old proverb "Use it or lose it." applies here. Seriously, Three sentences took me almost 15 minutes to knock out and I am not sure if it is even readable. My Husband says my spelling makes his eyes bleed.

I am going to have to join some European dollhouse sites so I can pratice. I belong to some international animal rescue groups but everyone fights too much but does too little. I have been avoiding them unless I get an email or there is something that actually needs attention.

For chati I like it here MUCH better. With you NICE people who play so well together.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...
Hello - My question is not concerning a Greenleaf dollhouse, but hoping somebody could point me in the right direction. I am also not a "restorer" in anyway - I am as amateur as they come and can barely put a nail in the wall!

After many years in a box (28), in storage in numerous countries my old dollshouse is being reborn for Christmas. I am hoping to give it to my daughter for Christmas. It is a Walmer Dollhouse from around 1977/1978. I have reassembled it and it is in pretty good shape considering. It was never put together with glue so there is nothing for me to melt off..and I still have most of the wooden pegs to build it with. I had a few questions which I was hoping people here might be able to help me with..

1) I have found no site for Walmer dollhouses but they seem to still exist?

2) Does this dollhouse have any monetary value?

3) I was wondering whether I should leave it as is or paint it etc...and wouldn't want to do anything to destroy the original value..whether it be monetary or aesthetic.

4) It is a sort of Alexandria Manor house - in a not very attractive brown - but painting it another color might ruin its look or alter it...I have the same question abut the wood...should I varnish the floors and walls or keep it as is - very simple wood.

5) It has plastic windows on which were painted(I think) white window panes and other detail...they are all falling apart and coming off and I need to replace them...but with what and how?

6) There is wallpaper on the top floor which is coming off but it stuck...what is the best way to get if off and should I do something to the walls after

7) Some of the wooden pegs are missing so wondering how to stabilize it. Should I glue -and with what? Should I nail?

I have a photo of the outside but not sure how to attach it here...if anybody has any ideas or advice regarding my question, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks so much , Sydney

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi! Your house has a name - it was called "Old Towne" when it was made by Walmer.

Walmer made a lot of dollhouses and they were generally child's dollhouses like this one. I think there were maybe three designs that sort of became collector's dollhouses. Anyway, the wood on this one is supposed to be 1/4 inch thick (my catalog states this is knockdown design, whatever that is), but if you use small nails, you can probably nail it together as well as glue it.

This is a plain little house with TONS of potential to be gussied up - do what you like with it and have fun and it will look beautiful! There aren't too many of these old Walmer houses around - you're so lucky to have one!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What a gem! That dollhouse looks like its in really good shape and perfect for renovation.

Might I suggest you try to find out from your daughter just how she would like one if she had one? Does she know she is going to get it as a gift? Perhaps you could get ideas from her as to her opinions on color scheme and decor, without letting her know about that one. I rehabed a dollhouse twice that was bought at a yard sale in the early 1980s and was asked to renovate it in 1989, when it went to the younger neice. I did not have access to many dollhouse shops and no internet in those days. I don't know what it looked like originally, but it was in pretty bad shape when I got it. I took it apart, removed wallpaper, cleaned everything, glued & nailed it back together to give it stability (the wood was old so wood glue seemed like the best to use); repapered/repainted, and made curtains for the windows. The carpets were in good shape so I cleaned them up and left them in. My neice loved it for several years until she went away to college and took it out of the attic and gave it to me to renovate for my granddaughter in 2000. I did the house in colors my granddaughter chose, and being a little more experienced at renovations . . . plus having access to so many dollhouse supplies on the internet, the second renovation was much better than the first. I wouldn't have painted the outside pink, but that is what my granddaughter wanted. She loves it!

First Renovation:

post-2406-1207033038_thumb.jpg

post-2406-1207035812_thumb.jpg

Second Renovation:

post-2406-1207036036_thumb.jpg

post-2406-1207032363_thumb.jpg

post-2406-1207032154_thumb.jpg

If you notice the linoleum on the kitchen floor, it was an extra piece of real flooring from my mother's kitchen floor. That was special to my granddaughter...her dollhouse flooring matched her great-grandmother's kitchen floor.

post-2406-1207035058_thumb.jpg

I also have two Walmer dollhouses. . . one I built for my daughter in 1980, and a three story Victorian (front opening) of my own. All in various stages of being finished. Good luck and enjoy being creative in your renovations. That's part of the fun!

Alice

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 years later...

Sable, what a fine looking house! The stone gives it a very solid appeal.

Do drop over to the Newcomers forum and introduce yourself and tell us how you happened to let this beauty lie around for 35 years!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So glad I found another Walmer Old Towne. I purchased mine in Ridgefield Ct in 1978. Finally getting around to making it into something special. I am applying real stone and pretty door and windows.

Welcome to our GL family. We adore eye candy so as soon as you have 5 posts you can open an album for your beautiful home.

Love, love, love your stone treatment. Can't wait to see your progress along the way.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 weeks later...

So glad I found another Walmer Old Towne. I purchased mine in Ridgefield Ct in 1978. Finally getting around to making it into something special. I am applying real stone and pretty door and windows.

I found this roof on Etsy. Do you think it would go nicely with the stone facade?

https://www.etsy.com/listing/163188739/dollhouse-slate-roof-tiles-shingles?ref=sr_gallery_27&ga_search_query=Roof+slate&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_search_type=all

post-40423-0-10648200-1379724944_thumb.j

Link to comment
Share on other sites

PS: I live in France so not so sure about hobby shops and all that kind of thing here..the windows are plastic stick on windows so I was thinking I could buy some plastic at a hardware store and some white paint or pen or something - but I am a real amateur so this may be silly.... thanks for your help!

Many of us save the plastic blister packs that many items come in, and cut pieces for replacement windows.

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...