"English Hunting Lodge" ~ Artist Bonnie Broel

This item has been on display in the world renowned House of Broel Dollhouse Museum that is a wonderland of intricate treasures that have to be seen to be believed. It is a very fine piece that is in excellent condition because after its creation it has only been on display and never handled. A description will follow from the designer and collector, Bonnie Broel.

From The House of Broel Collection

After building my first dollhouse from a kit I realized how much time, expense and effort went into finishing and furnishing it, so I decided that if I were going to do more they would have to be of a high quality. Since I was a newcomer to the dollhouse world I did some research – long before the internet and discovered that the highest quality dollhouses were built by The Lawbre Company. I decided that I wanted nothing but the best in my collection. That’s why I bought from the best and furnished with the best!!

In the 1980’s The Lawbre Company came out with a magnificent limited edition dollhouse – only 25 were to be built and I just had to have one to add to my growing collection. They called it “Old Westbury Hall” but as I worked on the interior and found the furnishings and occupants I decided that it would be my “English Hunting Lodge”. The house had an amazingly detailed exterior but was unfinished on the inside. I began adding appropriate wallpaper, furnishings and lighting but I felt the floors on the first floor needed to be finished finer than what I could do – so I contacted the Lawbre Company to make inlaid and parquet floors for each of the rooms and they are exquisite. Even though I added oriental carpets the intricate woodwork can still be seen and admired.

The front of the house has exquisite detail and in every respect characterizes the English Tudor style. The variety of colors and textures recreate a most picturesque period. Notice the bay window on the second floor above the front door and the colorful stained glass windows on the left. On the far right is the kitchen. To give a homey quality to the façade I added plants, trees, a sundial, a pond and a fountain. I also added a whimsical incredibly life like pony cart. The cart itself is signed Cheryl Abelson 5/84 and the pony is initialed JG 84. The animal even feels real and the accessories are all leather. The pony cart is just waiting for the boys of the house to come take a ride.

Also on the front there is a brass plaque that says:

“Old Westbury Hall”

Constructed for

House of Broel

During 8-83 number 7/25

Designed and Decorated by D.L. McNeil

The Lawbre Company
Mundelin Illinois

On the right hand side of the house I added a two-tiered pond with a waterfall filled with fish set in the middle of a rock garden with lilies of the valley in the front and stalks of hollyhocks and other tall English country garden flowers in the rear.

On the left hand side of the house I added a round brick edged garden with a fountain, a large tree, and a decorative brick wall flanked by smaller trees with a colorful hanging plant in the center  

The room on the left of the first floor is a dining room that has a whole pig and hand painted ceramic rust and ivory dishes on the table. On either side of the door going into the kitchen are two signed engravings. The table, chairs and sideboard are all Thorne Room reproductions made in Taiwan. The floor is inlaid walnut by The Lawbre Company. Next, in the entry way the Lord of the Lodge greats a visiting African King who presents the head of the house with a ceremonial sword. The middle room has colorful stained glass windows and interesting tri-cornered chairs and desk (more Thorne Room reproductions) accented by a gracious Edwardian lady. On the far right there is a handsome man standing in the library that is decorated with tapestries and signed hand painted English scenes.

On the left hand side of the second floor the hunting room features duck decoys, a large marble fireplace, riding boots, a display of knives, a mount of a deer, a bear rug and most importantly, the hunter with his grouse.  Next, the gaming room has a six sided pool table in the center that is complete with pretzels and beer.  To the rear of the room in the bay window a whale oil lamp sits on a table with jade bears on either side. There is also a drugstore Indian sitting on the left hand side of the space with a portly gambler looking on. The music room is next with a baby grand piano, and a George Becker harp and chair. The hallway features equestrian scenes and the blue and ivory bedroom on the far right boasts a version of King Henry VIII of England’s bed. A mother boxer sits in front of the fireplace with her puppies and Sherlock Holmes stands by the fireplace looking for clues. The oil painting is a miniature reproduction of a masterpiece.

The boy’s bedroom is on the far left of the third floor. It is complete with the two boys, their wooden train, desk and their bunk beds. Even the Teddy bear is dressed like Sherlock Holmes. The next room is the Fox Hunt Room with hunt scenes on the walls, a luxurious leather sofa, a fox hunter in his red and black riding habit and an English maid dusting. In the hall there is a desk, a grandfather clock, a lamp on a table and a Dalmatian on the floor. The room on the far right of the third floor has wonderful Throne Room reproductions in it but the most interesting piece is a linen press in the rear of the room that I bought from the artist and it is signed on the back.

The kitchen is located on the first floor and is on the far right of the front of the house. There are numerous copper pots and pans hanging from the rack and many delectable foods on the table. Sacks of foods are on the floor and the brick oven fireplace boasts even more foods and accessories including a rack of corn drying on the front.

This is an amazingly exquisite limited edition dollhouse that will be a magnificent addition to any collection.

Width – House only 61 in. with side yards 80 in.

Height – 37.5 in.

Depth – 29 in.

Weight – 175 lbs.