By Keri Luiz
Assistant Editor

A new addition to the Benicia Historical Museum, a Victorian-style dollhouse, will be unveiled Sunday.

Museum member Frank Webb donated the house, which belonged to his wife Delores, who died last spring.

“His wife … wanted it donated to the museum,” said Elizabeth d’Huart, executive director.

Delores Webb purchased the kit for the miniature house about 30 years ago, and Jim Cooper, who with his wife Cindy is the longtime owner of Cooper’s Doll House Studio, had put it together.

Webb focused on the furnishings and decorations for the house, and “she did a really good job,” d’Huart said.

For Sunday’s unveiling, Cindy Cooper will talk about collecting in general, and the house in particular.

Miniature houses like the one that will be featured on Sunday have their own following, d’Huart said. “(Enthusiasts) are very, very interested in all things tiny. There are all sorts of shops, fairs, craftspeople who basically handcraft all sorts of tiny items of furniture, lamps, miniature tea cups,” she said.

“In the kitchen, for example, is a miniature egg that is broken on the floor. So you see tiny egg white, and a tiny egg yolk.”

Very tiny: the scale of the house is 1 inch to 1 foot.

D’Huart said she learned from Cindy Cooper that many collectors use miniatures to replicate an historical interior or exterior.

“They feel that’s the best and most complete way to do it. I think that’s a really legitimate kind of pursuit, certainly for an historical museum, or certainly anyone interested in history.”

The house is 48 inches wide, 21 inches deep, and 31 inches high, and consists of an attic, kitchen, dining room, drawing room, front hall, bathroom, three bedrooms, an office, front porch, side porch and balconies.

It also has a fully functioning electrical system.

“Frankly, it’s the kind of house that I would be delighted to have,” d’Huart said. “And it would fit into Benicia really well.

“When we asked Cindy what she thought the style was, having gone through American architectural styles, we here at the museum couldn’t actually slot it into any one particular category.

“She tells me that it’s actually a farmhouse to which a number of architectural items had been superimposed upon the structure. They look very Victorian,” d’Huart said. “It’s a bit of a mishmash.”

D’Huart said one reason for the unveiling is to honor an item donated to the museum. “When people give things that we think the public will be interested in, we like them get them out onto the floor so they can come and see them,” she said.

Also on display Sunday will be a scale model of the house located at 464 East H St., which was built by William Freitas, who lived there from 1920-40.

If You Go
The exhibit unveiling and program presentation by Cindy Cooper will take place from 1-3 p.m. at the Benicia Historical Museum, 2060 Camel Road. The museum will be open until 4 p.m.