Bodensee by Bodo Hennig??!!!
This house was on my "covet" list, after I first saw it on Rebecca's Collections and the puppenhausmuseum website a few years ago. Manufactured in 1981 by Bodo Hennig, and now generally quite scarce, the house is 1:10 scale, enormous, and heavy. I have never seen one pop up on eBay until this past December, on German eBay. I've bought doll houses from Germany and other countries before and it is not a walk in the park. The shipping is outrageous, and you can sometimes get stuck with a less-than-professional seller, leaving you on pins and needles until your house arrives. Well, I still paid a lot, but the seller was truly wonderful. She disassembled the house and packed it extremely well. Everything arrived intact. And the house is in phenomenal condition!
As expected with a Bodo Hennig product, it is exceedingly well-made (blogger diePuppenstubensammlerin wrote a great article about the company in Dolls House Past and Present -- check it out!). Every screw and part fits perfectly, and if they do not, then you are doing something wrong. It is constructed of solid particle board and wood, and many of the walls are sheathed in a formica-like material for the plain yellow walls, and colorful wallpaper on the other walls. There is nice glazing in the windows. The house measures 37" x 24" x 23" with a total of eight rooms and a large removable stairwell.
After unwrapping everything, I got started. I assembled it using photos of the house as a guide:
Big box!!! |
I made a mistake with one of the walls, which I realized after the roof parts did not fit! DUH!
The tall white wall on the right is in the wrong spot! |
In order to get it off the floor, I took the roof apart so that I could separate the two parts of the house. My husband and I then lifted it onto one of my storage units. Many, many apologies for the surroundings...our basement is, well, a basement, so there are boxes, storage things, an elliptical machine, etc.
Here it is perched in its new spot.
I did some decorating, too. The house came with a lot of original Bodo Hennig furniture, lamps, and three dolls.
Do you like it??? It did take me forever to decorate...so many rooms! And so much space. Since the scale is 1:10, I had to look for some larger pieces in my collection.
I am so happy to have the house, and am excited to think of different ways to use the rooms and style it. If you have a Bodensee too, please share!!!
Credits: Ugh, so many to mention! The majority of the pieces are Bodo Hennig and vintage German pieces from my collection. A shout-out to Megan of Modern Mini Houses for the cool pillows on the green couch and the yellow couch!!!
The time it took me: Probably 2-1/2 hours to unpack and assemble (and partly re-assemble to move), and 1-1/2 hours of decorating. Maybe more. I did it over the course of last week and this week.
I love it! Thanks for sharing :)
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome! It was fun!!
DeleteHow wonderful!! I am so glad it "found" YOU! It is truly a fantastic house...looking forward to many more posts on your new treasure! and that was a good surprise too.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to think it found me...I like that:) so I just HAD to buy it. I also love the element of surprise.
Deleteuna casa muy bonita y con todo el mobiliario para decorarla , eso esta muy bien , me gusta , creo que has hecho una buena compra
ReplyDeletebesitos
Mari
Muchas gracias Mari!!
DeleteI thought it was Bodo Henning based on the look of the wall in your sneak peek.
ReplyDeleteWell done for finding it. I'll have a similar story to tell soon, if all goes well...
Of course you did!! I figured some folks would recognize the wall. Cannot wait to see your find!!
DeleteCongratulations! Wonderful House, what more to say than: Love it!
ReplyDeleteIt looks like it is brand new!?
The three dolls are very chick in design!
You are sure to be a very Happy Girl now! :)
Hugs
Kikka
Thanks, Kikka! Yes, I think the owner is a collector, so she took very good care of it. There are very few flaws I am a very Happy Girl :)
DeleteHi, you have a wonderful collection. And yes, the Bodensee house is in fact very pretty. I think I have the furnitures for a children's room with loft bed. I recently bought it but I don't need it. I mixed up the scales :-( I am looking for 1:5 and 1:6. Bodo Hennig also made wonderful stuff in 1:5! So when I unpacked the parcel is was 1:10. If you are interested just drop me a line :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks!!! I'd be interested in a swap! I have some 1:6 pieces that might interest you. Let's figure something out.
DeleteI knew it! what an amazing find! are you going to paint the walls and furniture to? or are you gona leave that like this.
ReplyDeleteHi, Mandy! I don't think I will paint the walls, but I might try out some wallpapers to cover some of the yellow:)
DeleteThat's so cool, it's like you have a piece of history now.
ReplyDeleteI like to think of these houses as little pieces of history and it is especially cool to see rarer houses firsthand!
DeleteI love, love, love it! I think you hit the jackpot on this one. It's wonderful and the furnishings are perfect. I'm digging the groovy wallpaper in the bathroom.
ReplyDeleteIt's a super cool house, very groovy indeed!
DeleteOh wow. Really gorgeous. I'm stunned. I can't wait to see what you do with this. I want to look through my loot to see what's bigger to send to you. You can also see where the Barbie Dream House came from. Total steal.
ReplyDeleteYou're right! It does resemble the dream house! I felt like I was transported back in time when I was decorating it. And there are lots of opportunities with all the wall space and rooms.
DeleteBeautiful house!
ReplyDeleteBye Faby
Thanks, Faby!!
DeleteI absolutely love it!! What a great find. Is that a brown Strombecker couch and matching chair from the 1930s I see in the living room?
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to see more.
Susan
Good eye! It is a Strombecker couch and chair. They are brown and flocked. Very cool shape and I liked mixing in pieces from the 30s era here. It works!!!
DeleteWoohoo! Congrats!!! :D
ReplyDeleteThanks!!! We always manage to squeeze another one into the collection, right??!!
Deleteit's soooo cute :)
ReplyDeleteCute for a mammoth house!!! It's giant!
DeleteUm...I think I might pass out. OH MY GOODNESS! I, too, have always wanted one of these to redecorate. Maybe someday...
ReplyDeleteBTW, I feel relieved to know that you also store mini furniture in heaping piles. All the stuff that isn't artisan in my collection is in bins on open shelves...
Hmm, I must come visit you with a large suitcase...make that a trunk...er--storage pod or moving truck. Smiles!
Um...I think I might pass out. OH MY GOODNESS! I, too, have always wanted one of these to redecorate. Maybe someday...
ReplyDeleteBTW, I feel relieved to know that you also store mini furniture in heaping piles. All the stuff that isn't artisan in my collection is in bins on open shelves...
Hmm, I must come visit you with a large suitcase...make that a trunk...er--storage pod or moving truck. Smiles!
Please don't pass out!! I stumbled upon this listing. I wish I could remember how I saw it. I do store most of my collection on open shelves or in flat trays. They are all piled on top of each other or stand like little soldiers in lines!! I keep my artisan stuff in individual boxes or bins. You are definitely not alone in your storage inclinations!
DeleteSOOO JEALOUS!!! I have adored that house, great find and in fabulous condition. You are going to have so much fun with it. Glad you like the pillows! :D
ReplyDeleteI am really looking forward to playing around with it!! I love that it is so solid and incredibly well-made. Everything just aligned perfectly. Makes you appreciate traditional craftsmanship. LOVE the pillows!! And the Aalto vase is stunning! Can't wait to use it!! Thanks again :)
DeleteYou are one lucky lady. What a wonderful house. It's beautiful and the rooms are decorated perfectly.
ReplyDeleteThanks much! It was challenging, but fun to decorate :)
DeleteThis is a treasure of a house! Thanks for sharing the photos.
ReplyDeleteHugs, Drora
Hi, Drora! Thanks!
DeleteI love modern houses and yours is so lovely! Maybe I will get one one year! lol
ReplyDeleteI hope you get a modern house, too! I'd be curious to know which one will be your first purchase:)
DeleteThanks for your mail - it is funny how your photo of all the pieces on the floor before assembling it looks like my photo - another house though. Very good that all went well with the buying in Germany - it is a great distance after all.
ReplyDeleteGlad you wrote! The floor is certainly the best option, but it was sometimes a struggle to screw things in and get proper leverage. I LOVE your new Bodo Hennig...what a FIND!
DeleteThanks a lot, Angie! I love that you call it "property"! I'm a multi-home owner! ;)
ReplyDeleteFantastic, Chris - I'm so happy that you have one too now :-) I probably would have recognised the wall in your earlier post, but I've not been well, and haven't been online much. Now I am, what wonderful posts to discover! I love those kitchen units, and the corner bench looks great! Don't think I've seen that fabric on the master bed before - it's very groovy :-) The Erna Meyer dolls look like they were bought for the house when it was first played with - they do tend to have bad hair days, poor things, but moving in and arranging furniture can do that!
ReplyDeleteI am sure you would have recognized the wall, like an old friend ;) Sorry that you were not feeling well, but great to hear that you are tip top now. The corner bench is Fairline and works quite well, due to its larger size. Yes, those dolls look windswept!!! I attributed it to taking care of their little one :)
DeleteHi, did you receive my email?
ReplyDeleteI just checked my SPAM folder and found it! I will write you back. So SORRY!
DeleteStill haven't heard back from you. Mh, guess you are busy.
ReplyDeleteI will now offer it others.
So sorry, Birte! I sent you an email.
DeleteWhat a lovely house! And you have furnished it wonderfully!
ReplyDeleteWhy thank you! I can't wait to decorate it more! :)
DeleteAmazing house, I have to admit it makes me drool! I have never seen one like it before. I am learning so much and makes my want list so much longer! HA!HA!
ReplyDeleteWow!! I Love it!! I want a Bodo Hennig house!!!
ReplyDeleteOh this is great. I've just acquired my first Bodo Hennig house - the Country Classic, and have yet to pick it up.
ReplyDeleteYours is in amazing condition and what an array of furniture! Brilliant. I am aiming to furnish just with Bodo Hennig and can already see I shall require a mortgage though the house itself was a bargain. I don't think the seller knew what she had....
So, my parents are downsizing from their house to a much smaller condo, and my mom is like, what are we gonna do with your dollhouse? Me: Uh... I had two boys, and my brother had 3... nobody to pass it to. Do I keep it, hoping that 25 or 30 years from now I'll have a granddaughter? Or... I got my house for Christmas circa 1978 when we were living in West Germany. It's not set up right now, but I found a picture of it that looks like the house is called "Karina". I don't have a clue what the house itself would be worth if I decided to let it go. Thoughts? Advice?
ReplyDelete