Happy New Year to my fellow collectors. As we all know there was just a wonderful set of Putz Houses that were up for auction on Ebay. I don't know about you but I think we're seeing new records on prices being set. I bid really high on 6 of these auctions and didn't win but one of the early auctions from the same seller. I'm sure a couple of you out there have a house or two that I was planning on placing on my mantle? LOL Anyway, I did win the one auction for $57.00 a little coconut dormered house. It just arrived in the mail. The seller did a good job with there photos. I am going to post a series of pictures and without coaxing you I want to hear any forensic, archeological or detective type observation you can describe about this house... I would appreciate your input greatly. I'll tell you the rest of the story after I hear from you. Thanks, Pete

Here's some more photos...

And finally...

I remember this house. I have one from those listings that will need a missing part also Pete.

Not sure, but I think the one I wanted the most fetched the highest price.

Hi Pete,

This is too funny! I happen to be organizing my Christmas right now, and I am sitting looking at two of these houses.. the houses are identical but the bases are different. In fact, one of the bases has a stamp that I have never seen before...it says "made in Japan" but there is a word stamped above it that I cannot make out. It is not "Occupied Japan.."

I'll try to get a picture for you.

Anyway, your house has clearly been repainted with a fairly heavy hand, and different colors. That's what I noticed...
Barb

That is what I thought I had noticed too, but wasn't sure. You guys are the experts. Mine has not arrived yet...the picture sure looked great..but missing a dormer. I observed this only because Antoinette's mantel appeared to have the same house. I bid on it anyway as the rest looked great.

Ho BOY! That seller said NOTHING about reworking the houses. For that reason I seriously doubt the Santa to be original on the roof as I have seen this house many times and never saw a Santa on it. I wondered about it at the time. But the repainting and recoconuting makes me VERY suspicious that the Santa may not be original. Sorry Pete. I hate when people do that. They may as well be up front. I suppose you didn't give that seller great feedback eh? I have at least 2 versions of this house and have seen it innumerable times but never with a Santa. Perhaps Kathi might know for sure. I didn't see a front picture of the Santa but is it an old one? Seems a bit strange from the back but then it IS the back.

I suspected that the Santa might not have been originally on the roof of this house. Like Tom, I have never seen a Santa on this particular style of house before. The obvious "slurry" of white paint (with plaster of paris added perhaps?) isn't original to that shed roof, chimney, or the base. But the good news is that Pete has a Santa that he can use elsewhere. I think it is a newer version of Santa. I thought perhaps an English version, until I saw the Santa with wire in one of the original listing photos.
Just some re-coco-ing and the house will look great.
Regarding the original listing, I like to see a house lit up, but I prefer to see the house NOT lit, so that the condition of windows and doors can be more easily ascertained.
These were great houses, many of which aren't commonly seen. Did anyone in the group besides Pete snag anything?

I'm certainly no expert but would like to believe I've picked up something from you guys (tee-hee) and the first thing I thought when I looked at it was wow, this has been re-painted and yes, with a very heavy hand.