Colleen Moore’s Fairy Castle

Colleen Moore was always fascinated by dolls and doll houses. She owned several elaborate doll houses as a child, but later in life her father, Charles Morrison, suggested that she should pursue her passion for miniatures and doll houses by creating the “doll house” of her dreams. Her position as one of the most popular actresses in Hollywood gave her the resources to produce a “Fairy Castle” of fantastic proportions.

Begining in 1928, Moore enlisted the help of many talented professionals to help her realize her vision. Horace Jackson was an architect and set designer who worked for First National Studios. Jackson created the floor plan and layout of the castle with this basic idea, “The architecture must have no sense of reality. We must invent a structure that is everybody’s conception of an enchanted castle.” Moore also enlisted the help of art director and interior designer Harold Grieve. Grieve had designed the interiors for Moore’s real-life mansion, so he was a natural to create the interiors of her fantasy castle. By 1935 over 700 individuals had lent their expertise including surgical instrument lighting specialists, Beverly Hills jewelers and Chinese jade craftsmen. The price tag for this 8’7″ x 8’2″ x 7’7″ foot palace containing over 2000 miniatures was nearly $500,000.

To view the online virtual tour of this dollhouse, visit: http://www.msichicago.org/exhibit/fairy_castle/fchome.html

You can also find the book:
Within the Fairy Castle: Colleen Moore’s Doll House at the Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago

Source: http://www.msichicago.org/exhibit/fairy_castle/fchome.html

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