Summary

Alternative Name(s): Occasional Cushions

Four toy cushions, each a different fabric and shape. They were probably used on a range of different furniture in the McArthur doll's house. The small red cushion (.2) is the same as the cushions on chairs HT53307 at the time of donation.

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

Four assorted toy cushions, each a different fabric and shape. All are hand-sewn. .1: Square cushion covered with blue fabric, with small pink and yellow flowers with green foliage. Some surface staining. .2: Small square cushion covered with red jacquard fabric, hand-sewn. .3: Square cushion covered with blue and white woven fabric, similar to raffia. .4: Round cushion covered with printed colour fabric, predominantly in blues and greens, suggesting an outdoor scene with foliage.

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