A miniature masterpiece: World's most expensive dollhouse crafted over 13 years by carpenters, goldsmiths and glassblowers worth $8.5MILLION goes on display
- Colorado-based artist Elaine Diehl created the Astolat Dollhouse Castle with 29 rooms over 13 years until the 1980s
- She enlisted carpenters, goldsmiths, glass blowers, and silversmiths to make incredible miniatures
- The house is modeled on Tennyson's Lady Of Shallot - it features a $7,000 mini grand piano and a $5,000 mini desk
- Among the decorations is a tiny hand-painted portrait painted with a single bristle brush that is valued at $1,840
The most valuable dollhouse in the world, worth a staggering $8.5million, is going on display for the first time.
The
hand-made 'Astolat Dollhouse Castle' was designed and built over a
13-year period by Colorado-based miniature artist Elaine Diehl in the
1980s.
She
modeled it after Tennyson's Lady of Shallot and commissioned fine
craftsmen from around the world to build over 10,000 handcrafted
interior pieces, which she combined with furniture and decorations from
antique dolls' houses.
These
carpenters, goldsmiths, glass blowers, and silversmiths made incredible
miniatures - including a tiny baby grand piano valued at over $7,000, a
minute Bible from 1811 valued in the thousands and an adorable signed
drop leaf secretary desk valued at over $5,000.
More
modern pieces include a teeny 1949 Jeep Station Wagon, worth over
$3,300 and a miniature portrait valued at $1,840, which was painted with
a single bristle brush. Meticulously embroidered rugs line the floor
with a miniature bearskin and tapestries.
The
29-room house will be exhibited to the public for the first time to
benefit the Autism Speaks non-profit and a selection of other children's
charities.
'Astolat
is one of the finest miniature structures in the world exhibiting a
rare combination of sculpture, art, engineering and detail that set it
apart from anything in existence today,' said Paula Gilhooley, curator
for the Nassau County Museum of Art, who will be hosting the exhibit.
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The hand-made 'Astolat Dollhouse Castle' was built over a 13-year period by Colorado-based miniature artist Elaine Diehl
Elaborate: The craftsmen were enlisted
to model opulent decorations, including this bear rug, inspired by
Tennyson's Lady of Shallot
Carpenters, goldsmiths, glass blowers, and silversmiths made incredible miniatures such as these gold leaf chairs
The 29-room house will be exhibited to the public for the first time to benefit the Autism Speaks non-profit and other charities
Each leaf and petal of these meticulously crafted orchids was made by hand, as was the chiseled stone plant pot
There is a minute Bible from 1811 valued in the thousands and an adorable signed drop leaf secretary desk valued at over $5,000
Real crystals line this desk, and at the back there is a miniature frame with a selection of tiny stones inside
Astonishing: This gold-framed portrait was hand painted with a single brush and, alone, is valued at $1,840
A tiny grand piano is seen in one of the 29 rooms in the dollhouse in this photo along with dozens of mini books
Luxurious: One of the 29 rooms is a bedroom decked out with chandeliers and lace
Cheers! The attention to detail is
astonishing, and in the master suit there is even two flutes of
champagne and a bucket filled with ice
This artfully modeled rocking horse is one of 10,000 commissioned pieces that Diehl wanted to have in the house
This is a stand alone shot of the library, which has a marble wood fire, gold framed mirror, and tomes lining the shelves
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