A Recycled Tribute to Carole Blake

Originally published 1st December 2012

Carole passed away in 2016, and is very much missed by many of us in the literary world, both professionally and personally. Back in 2012 I invited her to contribute an article for my guest blog about her passion for dollshouses (a passion I share, although not on the same scale as Carole). She was thrilled to oblige, and here, as a tribute, and because that old blog is now closed and I did not wish to delete Carole's words, or my memory of her wonderful support and friendship, is that post again

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After fourteen years in publishing, Carole started her own literary agency which merged to become Blake Friedmann in 1983. Carole’s clients included Elizabeth Chadwick, Barbara Erskine and Julian Stockwin - among many others. However, I did not invite Carole to my Guest Blog to talk on literary matters, (although books do get mentioned!) but something far more exciting - especially to those of us who are fascinated by the miniature world... over to you Carole....

DOLLSHOUSES by Carole Blake

The Georgian House

When I was a child, I loved my dollshouse, but clearly not enough. It took me a while to realise that it had gone.
‘Woodworm’, my mother said. Even at eight I disbelieved her. 
Fifty years later my father confessed she had hated dusting it and had given it to the church fete.

Such betrayal.

For decades I harboured the wish for one. My 1730s country cottage was far too small. Later, my large Victorian London house was huge, but no single room was quite large enough. I sold it, bought a modern penthouse and though with many fewer rooms, each room was larger than the corresponding room in the previous house. A dollshouse was now a possibility!

After a year of research, I  bought a huge kit for a six foot high, five floor, thirteen room (plus four wide halls) house. I wanted a long-term project to customise myself, and feel proud of at the end. Had I over-extended myself? Quite possibly.

The Basement

The first Christmas after it arrived I spent several days wallpapering, making skirting boards, building shelves (with mini carpenter tools!) and laying a real terracotta tile floor. That  floor... I have zero DIY skills, experience, or aspiration. But I started it.

The Hall - Note the Tiles!

Tiles (real terracotta, 1:12  scale, width, length, thickness) are easy to glue down. Grouting though: that’s another story. Mix the mini-pot of grouting, cover all  tiles, wipe off with a damp cloth leaving grouting just between tiles? It doesn’t work like that. With such minuscule spaces, ALL the grouting comes off with the damp cloth. I did it again. And again… the air was un-festively blue. But when I finally accomplished it,  I was inordinately proud. And still am.  If you enter my sitting room and  fail to praise the terracotta tiles you’ll never be invited again!

(Helen: all aspiring authors take note of this important strategy...)

I realised that building it would be a long term project, but I planned to accumulate furnishings etc while doing so. It’s become – not quite an obsession – but certainly a passion, trading up as I accumulate more knowledge and experience.

The Kitchen (and more tiles!)

Then the buildings collection started to grow …

Jigsaw Puzzle

While late night internet shopping I found a beautiful house listed in the wrong category on e-bay, and so ignored. I made a low offer, went to bed, and next morning discovered I owned it. I recognised it as an individually-built piece. I’m very happy to own it. But – another house? All four glorious Georgian floors of it are now fully furnished and overflowing.

The Georgian house open

I went to Birmingham for two days of a dollshouse collectors fair. Saw a kit for a shop: I could buy and build that and store items there until my house is built. I bought it, built it, am now buying specific items for the shop… which rather defeats the original purpose.

The Shop

It's become a hobby difficult to ignore or deny. But I do have rules:

Sweetie Tin

Always stick to the 1:12 scale.

Anything that should have doors, drawers, shelves, handles, will have the correct  things in or on. My kitchen dresser has cutlery in the drawers, of course.

Bookcases (in rooms, as well as to line each side of the halls on all floors) will only have real books that open. I’m trading up all the time. At the beginning I bought books that now I see have bindings that are too clunky.

Having discovered someone in Tyne & Wear who makes exquisite miniature replicas of antiquarian books (some with 100 readable pages), I bid for all he offers on e-Bay. You would have to kill me to reveal my source for these.

The finished Georgian House I bought has taught me a lot about what to do with the house I am building. I had idiotically omitted to buy enough wallpaper for the house doors/room walls that would open out. I have to repaper the rooms that I had already completed.

Decanter Label (port)

I hadn’t – at the beginning – got my eye in to scale. The shelves I carpentered and added to the walls of the kitchen, pantry and laundry room  I now see are too high. I  must take them down and add them at a height that my ‘family’ could reach.

Glassware

Some of the Cranberry Glass collection

The basement that is almost complete (kitchen, pantry, wide hall, laundry room, gardener’s room, downstairs loo) must be taken apart and redone.  Better.

Basement

Early on I decided not to have people. I’ve never seen dolls (even the very expensive, handmade dolls) that looked realistic. I didn’t like dolls when I was a child, and I don’t like them now.  So my family have ‘gone out’. 

Each room will be as though they have just left it: I’m aiming for a lived-in look. I was inspired here by the Dennis Severs house in London – visit it if you can.

Meccano Set

Fabrics are a problem. Curtains that are four inches long don’t hang right – they aren’t heavy enough.  Same with tablecloths: but I’m working on that. Spotting real life objects that will fit is a joy: a Chinese bead becomes a large floor-standing vase;  a button becomes the top for a garden table.

Meccano pieces

(Helen: I had two dressmakers pins stuck into a small ball of wool as knitting needles in my dollshouse.)

Egg cracked open

The internet fuels the fervour of my miniature shopping, but I should be more circumspect. Occasionally I purchase unwisely. I blame publishing parties and alcohol. But that which is bought on the internet, can be sold on the internet.

Anything – anything at all – that you can think of will be made in miniature by someone, somewhere. A tin with individual biscuits, knitting patterns, working clocks? They  all exist in 1/12^th scale.  My favourite collections are the cranberry glass and the books. I probably own far too many of each already to fit in to my houses but I’ll keep buying them.

Decanters in a tantalus

Aiming for perfection, i.e. realism. I’m sure I won’t make it, but there will be a lot of fun on the way.

Toast

I’m preparing my Christmas tree right now …

The Utility Room

Tips: subscribe to the various dollshouse magazines to get building tips, news of forthcoming festivals, and to see advertisements for dollshouse shops and websites

I keep a county by county list of all shops I hear of, so when I’m on my travels I can  to visit them.

Needlework set

I keep a list in the computer of all the miniatures websites I discover. 
E-bay is another good source of items.

... and its size!

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a feature of my Guest Blog was for guests to select their guests so...
Carole's Dinner Guests

Mostly historical, because how else could I resolve the burning questions that are left after reading their biographies?

Richard III : a member of the Richard III Society for decades (and therefore very pro him), I’m fascinated by the eternal questions about him and his two nephews.

Eleanor of Aquitaine : such an intriguing woman. Seeing her interact with the others could only be interesting.

William Marshal : have been in love with him – and in awe of him - ever since I first read the ms of Elizabeth Chadwick’s THE GREATEST KNIGHT. Would have to watch the body language between him and Eleanor …

Alain Fournier (author of LE GRAND MEAULNES, one of my favourite novels ever). So many questions to ask him about how he came upon the story.

Caravaggio : How did he learn to paint light in that way? And did he really commit  murder?

Carlo Gesualdo :   Prince of Venosa and Count of Conza. How did a member of the nobility, a gifted composer, become a murderer? 

Hildegard von Bingen : I wouldn’t agree with her views on religion, but oh to meet the composer of that ethereal music.

Giotto : Because I cried the first time I entered the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua and saw his frescoes.

David Munrow : the inspired and driven early music pioneer. Fascinated by his life and to find out why he killed himself.

George Clooney :  Just because.

Helen: I wonder if Carole has now had the great pleasure of meeting any of these people who are with her on the 'other side'. I do hope so.

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 The books.....

Passport

 and other lovely items....

Paintbox

Cat bookends

Decanter label and hip flask

Yoyo

Trainset

© copyright Carole Blake 2012

Blake Friedmann website

Glass Cabinet

Carole, you are very much missed, but I don't think 'rest in peace' is fitting for you, because you were always so energetic and engrossed in the next 'project' ... I think 'resting' will be very much not on your agenda! 

Maybe - 'keep bustling' is more appropriate? 

HH