The fine mid-19th century childhood Dolls' House of Katherine Jeffray (1841-1929), an important English simulated stone painted wooden dolls' house, on detachable wooden stand with four turned legs terminating in lacquered brass castors, the breakfront three-bay façade with two storeys, the central key-lockable wood-grained four-panelled front door with brass knob, opening, with concealed hook releasing to open the whole front of the house, the door framed by pilastered Tuscan portico and painted glass Adam-style semi-circular fanlight above, roof pediment, five large twelve-light windows to the front and two to each end, grey-painted tiled pitched roof, trough gutter, stone painted chimney at each end with two angled upper sections, two flues to each chimney, the front opening to the left of the front door in two parts to reveal four large rooms with original decoration and furnishings, the ground floor on the left, kitchen with wooden fitted blackened range, burgundy, black and cream plaid wallpaper, painted paper marblised ceiling paper, blue and brown patterned glazed cotton chintz curtains, rush-effect embossed oil-cloth floor, a tin spit with 'clockwork' bottle jack on stand with drip tray, basting spoon and skimming spoon, Evans & Cartwright painted tinplate - yellow rush seat chair, yellow log basket and green kettle, six tin graduated meat covers, two copper kettles, six pewter platters with embossed food and a similar basket, a wooden birdcage with yellow feather canary and two Grödnerthal female servants (one missing legs); to the right on the ground floor, dining room with grey marblised wood fireplace with black Evans & Cartwright tinplate embossed surround with gilt-painted grate and fender, green and red wavy water simulated silk wallpaper, a pair of blue and white printed cotton patterned curtains with pelmet, silk blue rosette and white fringing, marblised painted paper ceiling, painted grey floor with teal silk velvet fitted carpet printed with pink roses, a pair of Evans & Cartwright painted wood-grained tinplate console tables in manner of William Kent, a simulated 'tortoiseshell' covered card gilt paper trimmed bookcase bon-bon or sewing box in the form of a glazed bookcase, a working pewter urn of spherical form with brown spirit-wash, a mahogany tilt-top circular table, a gentleman Grödnerthal doll in white jacket with a blue zig-zag line decoration, red waistcoat, cotton shirt and black britches, a lady Grödnerthal doll, a china shoulder-head doll, skirt made into a pin-cushion, in cream evening dress with train, five blown stemmed wine glasses, a gilt painted wooden clock in dome, a Waltershausen work-table and green paper covered circular box with various card discs with applied printed images, probably a game; the first floor left, sitting room with Siena marblised painted wood fireplace with black painted tinplate Evans & Cartwright embossed surround and gilt-painted grate and fender, red, black and cream plaid wallpaper, burgundy, pink and cream printed pattern curtains with pelmet and white fringing, painted marblised paper ceiling, blue and brown cotton chintz fitted carpet, a large Waltershausen Biedermeier style bureau with mirrored niche, a German eleven piece chromolithographed wood grain and inlay paper covered suite of furniture with purple velvet upholstery including sofa, unusual elaborate floor standing clock, square piano and six chairs, four currently in the dining room (one chair missing two legs), a china shoulder head doll with jointed wooden body, china limbs and green dress with lace trim, five Grödnerthal children (various limbs missing), Murano glass vases under glass domes, one with original glass roses (some damage), a turned painted wooden tea set on tray and a stack of handwritten calling cards for 'Miss Jeffray'; and the top floor right, bedroom with deep and light pink wavy stripe simulated water silk wallpaper, grey painted marblised fireplace with black painted tinplate Evans & Cartwright embossed surround with gilt painted grate and fender, painted marblised paper ceiling, grey, burgundy, pink and cream printed cotton curtains with pelmet and white fringing, a teal silk velvet fitted carpet printed with pink roses, grey and white printed cotton bed curtains with white fringing hung on left wall, an Evans & Cartwright painted tinplate washstand with green tinplate jug and basin and a toilet mirror, an interesting set of nine Biedermeier style blonde wood furniture with black ink decoration comprising sleigh bed, day bed, two tables, chest of drawers and four chairs, a china shoulder head doll with jointed wooden body, china limbs and green dress (missing one china leg) a washstand with bone shaving brush, cut throat razor, two nit combs and strap, a home-made card and pink silk half-tester bed, a German pink painted tinplate three piece bath set, two gilt metal leaf shaped chamber sticks, two bottles of Patchouly oil (for clear skin) and a bottle of Ambroisie; two small beds with tiny Grödnerthal babies and seven calling cards, two printed for Gnr Tom Thumb and five handwritten for Aunt Henrietta, Aunt Mary, Aunt Elisa and Aunt Caroline (who were Katherine's aunts on her mother's side) and a Miss Whitehead --57½in. (146cm.) high x 39½in. (100.5cm.) wide x 19in. (48.5cm.) deep (slight damage to house, crack down right hand side and top front left window broken, some slight damage to contents); and sold with an original painted portrait of Katherine Jeffray circa 1864 (aged 23) in gilt frame in leather carrying case --8¾in. (22cm.) height of image --16¾in. (42.5cm.) x 14¾in. (37.5cm.) size of case (case worn) Provenance - this house and contents have come directly down a female line of the family from Katherine; the house appeared on the BBC Antiques Roadshow in Dorking in 1998 and Homes & Antiques magazine in December 1998. Family tree - Grandparents Paternal - James Jeffray 1759-1848 was a Professor and born in Aberdeen, his wife was Margaret Lockhart 1775-1864 born in Stirling, Grandparents Maternal - Thomas Millar (Preston), 1767-1840 and his wife Catherine May, 1775-1844, Parents - Rev Lockhart William Jeffray, rector at Aldford, Cheshire (1815-1862) and Catherine Millar (1809-1900) born in Preston, Catherine Millar’s siblings - Anne Marshall (1800), Elisa Horrocks (1804), Thomas (1811-1865) married Henrietta Pitt (Winckley Preston), Mary Cairns (1812) and Henry (1813) married Caroline Robbins (Thistleton), Katherine Jeffray who owned the dolls' house was born in 1841 and died in 1927.Married Archibald Hamilton, 29th May 1867 at St Mary’s, Windermere.Children - Alexander Cairns Hamilton (1878-1928), Lilihs, Elsie (1869-1960) and Stella (1872-1955)
