Think big, doll

DOLLS' houses are not child's play. They are part of a multi-million pound industry aimed at the adult hobby market.

It is now such a popular pastime that Yorkshire Miniaturists Association (YMA), which meets every month at the Friends' Meeting House in York, has a membership of 50 and a healthy waiting list.

And The Miniature Scene in Fossgate, York, now stocks more than 10,000 dolls' house-related items and has customers across the globe, including Japan, America, Mexico, Greece, New Zealand and Holland.

Elizabeth Jackson, one of the founder members of the YMA in 1981, has been a fan of dolls' houses for more than 30 years.

"My husband and I built a house for our daughters in the Seventies," she said. "They grew out of it, but I didn't."

She now has more than 20 dolls' houses in her York home, using what used to be her daughters' playroom as her own miniature town.

When she started collecting, there was very little on the market for adult hobbyists. Now, there are two or three major exhibitions and fairs every weekend; three dedicated monthly magazines; numerous clubs and societies; and shops, both online and in the high street, catering to their every need.

David Cox bought The Miniature Scene, one of the UK's largest miniature shops (if that is not too much of a contradiction), in 1999 after being made redundant.

He has around 80 houses on display, from fully-furnished children's houses for £85 to top-of-the-range grand Georgian homes for £500+.

You can pick up a whole street, including a pub, as part of its exclusive Victoria Street modular collection. And you can even establish your own school or church (with optional cemetery).

"Customers can really go from the cradle to the grave with us - and enjoy a pint along the way," said David.

One of his customers, from Bolton, now has more than 100 houses. She bought a neighbouring semi to house her collection.

Another, from Solihull, had an extension built so she could squeeze in the whole of Victoria Street.

These are just two examples of the addictive nature of this hobby. Elizabeth Jackson happily cites herself as another.

"I'm a bit unusual for a miniaturist in that I'm interested in antique houses," she said.

"You can get some good modern reproductions, but I prefer the originals."

Her oldest house dates back to the late 1800s and needed a lot of work when she found it. But she's careful not to renovate her petite properties too much - collectors pay more for original features.

"Finding a bargain is a real thrill," she said. "I recently found a fully furnished house on eBay for £48. It was at least 80 years old and in very good condition. It was a complete fluke - the owner obviously didn't know what they had."

Christie's holds miniaturist auctions twice a year at its London sale room, where houses and accessories can go for thousands of pounds.

"You can pay more for a miniature piece of period furniture than you would for the full-size version," said Elizabeth.

A point illustrated perfectly at The Miniature Scene where you can pick up a palm-sized, hand-crafted cabinet for £470.

But there are other more reasonably priced items up for grabs too, including modern additions like mousemats, ISDN sockets and a tiny tray of kebabs (£4.15, in case you were wondering).

While you can spend a fortune on buying and decorating your ideal dolls' home, you don't have to. You can do it yourself.

The YMA runs all manner of workshops, providing members with all the skills they need to make and decorate their own house from scratch.

"You can make things for very little cost using spare bits of wood and off-cuts of fabric," said Elizabeth. "Our next workshop is on framing pictures with cocktail sticks, and you don't get much cheaper than that."

While most of David's customers are 35-plus women, this doesn't mean it is a hobby that excludes men or youngsters.

"Men like to do the cutting, gluing and bashing," said David, "while women prefer to concentrate on interior design."

About 20 per cent of the YMA's members are men, and they also have a small but talented group of junior miniaturists.

"Our last group project was a garden shed," said Elizabeth. "One of our youngest girls - I think she's about 11 - created her own version of Roald Dahl's writing shed. It was wonderful.

"Another boy worked with his grandma on a fish smoking shed, creating endless numbers of kippers out of modelling clay."

According to David, first-time customers tend to go for a traditional Georgian house, spending between £200 and £300, because that is the sort of house they had in their childhood. But there is a growing trend for more modern designs - although minimalism is still not a hit. "Georgian and Victorian homes have always been popular, but now people are increasingly asking for Edwardian and Art Deco houses too," said David. Some copy their favourite TV makeover shows by buying a Victorian dolls' house and giving it a modern interior. "I even had one customer who bought a school and converted it into a bar!"

If property prices continue to skyrocket, this could eventually be the only way to ensure you get the house of your dreams.

"For some of us, this is the next best thing," said Elizabeth. "You might not be able to afford your ideal home, but at least you can own a miniature version.

"It's a world of your own that you have complete control over. And there's no-one else around to clutter the place up."

Dates for your doll's diary...

September 17-18, Miniatura International Doll's House Show at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham (0121 767 4100; boxoffice.necgroup.co.uk)

October 30, London Doll's House & Miniature Fair at Alexandra Palace, London (01778 392089; dollshousemag.co.uk)

November 27, York Doll's House and Miniatures Fair at York Racecourse

Updated: 11:18 Tuesday, September 06, 2005