Doll House Treasures

As a child, Colleen Moore loved dolls, doll houses, and miniatures. As an adult, she was a silent film star when her father suggested that she should build the doll house of her dreams. She worked with a set designer to create the floor plan. She worked with an art director and interior designer to create the interiors. She used lighting specialists, jewelers, and craftsmen.

Here are just a few of the treasures contained inside:

• A mural of Cinderella painted by Walt Disney himself.

• Tiny books with signatures and inscriptions from authors and composers including F. Scott Fitzgerald, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, William Randolph Hearst and Edward Albee.

• Chandeliers dripping with real diamonds, emeralds and pearls.

• A set of Royal Doulton china. Only two copies of this set were made; the other set resides in Queen Mary’s dollhouse.

• Suits of armor made of real silver, given to Colleen by Rudolph Valentino.
  

The whole thing breaks down into pieces that fit in customized shipping crates so it could go on tour (raising money for children's charities during the Depression). It is now on permanent display at at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago.

Check out an online tour here.

And check out some user pictures here.