Radko Houses

[PutzinVT]

I was wondering if anyone owned any of the RADKO Shiny Brite Sparkletown Houses.
They seem to be Putz like.

Are they worth the money?

Steve

[BrianB]

I've never seen one up close, somebody had a bunch listed on ebay recently...might still be up. I did a double take, I thought the were originals at first glance, but they do have many differences upon closer inspection. Still they looked like nice houses.

[maria]

I love the Radko Sparkletown houses and have many; they are indeed modelled after the original putz houses; I have been meaning to put up some over at everythingcroton and will do so today - will put on the link later. Have many in my putz gallery here at the forums.

[maria]

Brian, fyi
http://www.everythingcroton.blogspot.co ... -putz.html

[Tom Hull]

I remember when these first came out and having many discussions about them. And I believe it was Antoinette quoting her grandfather "They didn't know when to put the hammer down." Which in my mind perfectly exemplifies the "problem" with many of the Sparkletown productions. It was like they didn't quite no when to quite putting figures or trees on the houses. Still I have a couple. One is of a very expensive house that Antoinette managed to get with the first dog I had seen on a Japanese house and Radko reproduced it so of course I had to have it. They were a bit more conservative with the gussy up syndrome. And the other is a repro of a large Dolly Toy house and MUCH better made than the original. But I quickly tired of them as they began to get the Shabby Chic pile it on virus - likely from some of those producers of those terrible pastel over-priced poorly made pieces.

[BrianB]

Thanks for the link Maria, they really are similar, I'm surprised they didn't just go full on repro with them since they are already so close to looking original.

Tom, thats funny about them piling on the extras, I agree. I often find houses that people have altered and end up knocking half the stuff off. I have left a few alone though. I have a neat little house that someone glued a little wood figure and tiny christmas tree too, and always thought it was neat. The dog is cool though, that would be a neat one to have for sure, especially if you can find an original!

[paulrace]

Regarding Tom's remark about the Radko, I agree; it was sort of like, "Putz houses with cello windows are cute. Let's make really fancy ones with lots more windows and they'll be even cuter. Yes, we all appreciate the few "giants" or otherwise exceptionally large or fancy vintage putz houses. But even those clung to a sort of aesthetic and had certain proportions that these don't quite get. Like the folks who buy the $5 cardboard Colonials they sell at Michaels (see below), paint and glitter them up and say they've made a "putz house." To which I have to say "not exactly."

[maria]

Now now! For some people, this is the closest they'll ever be able to afford--and you never know, the seeds for someone else's creativity are planted -- perhaps for another Lamey or Fey.

Anyway yes I agree basically--I like a certain style that these store bought jobs can't match.

[paulrace]

I disagree, EVERYBODY can afford used cereal box cardboard, Elmer's glue, free patterns and instructions, a couple bottles of acrylic paint and a container of clear glitter.

I once had to tell a lady I couldn't use a video she sent me where she took one of those Michael's cardboard houses, sprayed glue on it and plunged it in silver glitter to make a "putz house." The REALLY sad part is that she teaches craft classes and she said the reason she resorted to the Michaels houses was that her students didn't really like the hard work part (the part the rest of us consider rewarding).

[maria]

Ah yes but some of us are downright dangerous with a cutter! lololol
I personally have to keep a tube of neosporin and a box of band-aids nearby every time I make a house.