A WORLD OF DOLL HOUSES

The designation of an age group for this book is more or less arbitary. As the author says, ""miniature things cast a sort of spell"" and a taste for the tiny seems to transcend any sort of limitation in years, so one can expect many of the adults who enjoyed A History of Doll Houses to want to browse through this one. In scaling down her material for a littler audience, she does not go into the ancient evidences of doll houses but sticks mostly to the minute mansions, grandiose in the scope of their detail, that were built in Europe (also Japan and the United States) during the 17th, 18th , and 19th centuries. There are occasional reminders that the construction and arrangements of these houses are excellent exemplifications of the architecture, styles, and home life of the periods in which they are built. The major purpose of the book, however, is simply to delight those who are fascinated observers (these are doll houses, not play houses) of minutiae, and to this end the inventories of the dolls' positions is thorough and enthusiastic.