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Looking for items that really work


zoemurr

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My daughter would really like some things that play music. I know Bodo Hennig had a working gramophone. Is there any other item like this?

I will also be getting a working clock. I saw some from Heidi Ott. Any other nice ones? I'm thinking of a Victorian wall clock.

I've seen sewing machines (I like the Heidi Ott one here too). And we will have a fireplace that flickers.

What other suggestions do you have? Especially for music..

Thanks!

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It's not really a dollhouse item, but I have a small wooden speaker that pics up radio stations and plays music from mp3 players and micro SD cards. I love it, and it's super fun! :D

I have a write-up on my blog here:

http://www.otterine.com/blog/blog1.php/tomato-tomahto-radio-rahdio

Looks like amazon doesn't have them anymore, but you can find them on eBay for around the same $35 price I paid on amazon.

gallery_4679_4448_103916.jpg

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My daughter would really like some things that play music. I know Bodo Hennig had a working gramophone. Is there any other item like this?

I will also be getting a working clock. I saw some from Heidi Ott. Any other nice ones? I'm thinking of a Victorian wall clock.

I've seen sewing machines (I like the Heidi Ott one here too). And we will have a fireplace that flickers.

What other suggestions do you have? Especially for music..

Thanks!

I have working screens in all my houses..........I make cabinets to fit my old iPhones (for 1/12th scale 42") and the Samsung 8" tablet which would be 100" in reality.

Great fun to have a movie playing in the house and the cabinets are a breeze to make!

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A lot of the little metal pencil sharpeners have working parts, and include things like spinning wheels and wall phones and other antique gadgets.

I think Zoe is after items that can are electrified or battery operated that can "work" on their own rather than things that have moving parts. I've seen the little sewing machine in operation and was riveted to the display for a good long time.

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I guess then I am little confused as to what you are looking for since most houses did not have electricity in 1900.

The mini sewing machine appeared to be operated by a foot treadle; the electricity that ran it was not obvious, so it would fit well into an early 18th c. house. A wind-up gramophone also comes to mind -- the crank need not turn, but the turntable might go around as music poured forth. A wind-up music box, a player piano ... I can think of a lot of things that could be electric or battery operated without appearing to be connected to a grid.

The operative phrase in the above paragraph is "appeared to be" ... :D

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Thank you. Yes, I will have electricity, but a flat screen TV would not be appropriate. I was looking for items like Kathie is describing. They don't need to go on their own constantly, but a wind up gramophone and player piano are the type of things I am looking for. They could hook up to the grid, but could also wind up. Do you remember where you saw the sewing machine you are talking about Kathie? That sounds neat. Sorry if my original question didn't make sense.

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It was in a brick and mortar doll house/miniature shop, but I don't recall where. I'm thinking maybe in the western suburbs of Chicago, but could have been anywhere. Sorry.

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This will, of course, not be helpful in the least since I can't remember what site I saw it on. But it was a mini mantle clock (vs. grandfather) that worked.

I just remember telling myself to remember it's out there so I could google it later. :blush:

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In the jewelry section of places like Micheal's they have watches that are intended to be used in making of your own watches. These do work and can be used in mini building (make a clock case and put the watch in).

Or maybe you could use parts of old music boxes to make something. Or watch some tutorials on YouTube (possibly other sites) about making working mini's. For example; a wringer washer. That is a project that I have seen that I will be doing before long.

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