Large Dormer House Clay Car & Snowman RARE Green Windows

Post by **Tom Hull** » Thu Dec 12, 2013 12:18 pm

Gather round folks while I take you on a DESIGN journey through 3 houses. The first is small and fairly common. The second though the same size has a rare double window. The last is substantially larger and is completely redesigned but obviously based on the design of the first two. Lots more embellishments on this House of the Month and one of my favorites. All carry the same oval export stamped mark. The first two measure the same and are 6" x 3 1/2" and 4 1/2" high. Notice that the first house has an odd coconut on it. That was one of my first attempts at coconut using finely chopped up cellophane. Obviously much to coarse but am keeping it as an example to me of what not to do. This is back when Ted insisted coconut was cellophane - but actually there is cellophane coconut (but rarely) on a few post war examples. The second example of this design carries a rare double window and is one of the few that has this feature. I replaced it using the available church windows which in fact was what was there.

Post by **Tom Hull** » Thu Dec 12, 2013 12:32 pm

This House of the Month for December from my collection is an all coconut house as are it's immediate ancestors. Though based on the same design ideas as the former two there are some detail differences. Size is significantly larger at 7" x 4 1/8" and 5" high. Design differences are a dormer replacing the left wing. Addition of a dog house which should be noted is in FACT a garage and is separated from the house. The fence is corrugated and has tiny punched holes in it.

Post by **Tom Hull** » Thu Dec 12, 2013 12:40 pm

With this aerial view we can see a green coconut path from the garage that the pottery car (rare in it's own right) on the path and next to the green coconut path to the front steps is a pottery/clay snowman. So we have one of those larger rare houses with two original pottery figures. I just put new Pete's coconut on this house and it looks GREAT. It was nearly bald and I didn't want it to look like that for this article. The ONLY thing that is not coconut is the sandy finish on the steps & porch post & railing and the garage with some black coconut scattered on it. See the close up photos for details of the cute porch railing (another difference). Also the close up of the front double window. I was able to salvage this window by backing it with red cellophane as it was badly split BUT it is a very rare green metallic mullioned LARGE double window (larger than the other double window).

Post by **Tom Hull** » Thu Dec 12, 2013 12:53 pm

These last photos just expand on what is before. The oval export mark is a fairly common mark found on these houses and dates all the way back to the printie era which was likely the first type of these houses. It is oval and says MADE IN JAPAN with serifs on the font with the period after Japan touching the oval frame. There is a different angle showing the garage better and some closeups of the figurines. Enjoy and have a MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Post by **BrianB** » Thu Dec 12, 2013 2:40 pm

Tom, GREAT submission for HOM! Thank you for all the details and pics. Love the little car and double windows! Your restorations are PRIMO!!
Were the double windows printed that way? I may have a new printing job!!!

Are the only types just the Windoor and Church windows.

Regaurding chopped up cellophane. I made a whole house that way, it was my first house I ever built, and even though the cellophane looked chunky, it was kinda cool.

I have one of the post war houses with coco on it, and it is bright almost neon orange. I sent it to Ted to ask him about it years ago, and to see if they were very common. I think he was pretty surprised to see it. I'll take a pic and see what you guys think.
-Brian

Post by **paulrace** » Thu Dec 12, 2013 4:19 pm

Tom, thanks for all the details and the "walk-through." Ted would have loved to see this.

Post by **les** » Fri Dec 13, 2013 11:04 am

Thanks for the tour, Tom!!! Your expertise on restoration is much appreciated.

Post by **maria** » Fri Dec 13, 2013 6:24 pm

Ditto!

Post by **BrianB** » Sat Dec 14, 2013 4:01 pm

Saw this one on ebay right now from the same family, such a neat group of houses. It is just out of my price range or I would be adding it to my collection. Love the double windows, when I get some time, Im going to have to print a batch of the gold on red cellos up!!
-Brian

Post by **BrianB** » Tue Mar 25, 2014 4:48 pm

Good afternoon!

Thought I'd share the house I now own with its variation from Tom's and the one I posted from ebay earlier. Mine is pretty much identical, but it has the double windoor instead of the paper mullions or the arched double in Tom's. I was really lucky, to get this one, the original coco is all intact and VERY nice. I love the magenta pink paint under the pink coco on the roof, it a wonderful color!

I will be printing a run of double windoors this spring so I can fix this little house up at some point. I don't see the point in making a ton since it's kind of a rare item. But I'm excited to fix it up.

Im pretty sure mine is missing a Santa or Snowman, which I may add at some point too.
-Brian