Summary

Toy upright piano, hand made from tobacco boxes. Most likely made by Neil McArthur circa 1920, the maker of the dolls' house.

Part of a dolls' house, built around 1920 by Neil McArthur for his much younger half-sister Elizabeth (Beth) Twycross, born in 1917. Neil made the doll's house out of found materials including cigar boxes; he also made many of the furnishings in the doll's house. Some of the contents of the doll's house may date back to the 1860s, played with by ancestor Charlotte Twycross; most date to either the 1920s or the 1940s-50s. In the early 1950s the donor was given the spruced-up doll's house as a birthday present by her parents. In later years her own daughter later added items, although she wasn't allowed to play due to its fragility.

Physical Description

Toy upright piano. Made from recycled wooden pieces from a tobacco box. Pieces glued and nailed together. Front and sides varnished a dark brown. Back and underside unvarnished. Rectangular blocks of wood, made to look like piano keys, are painted cream and black. The word 'Mild' in cursive script carved into the front.

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