A Daughter’s Dream, a Father’s Nightmare

When Kathy DeRosia purchased her Dura-Craft VM-800 from the Sears and Roebuck catalog, she eagerly asked her father for his opinion.

“I think you should send it back!” he replied.

This exchange highlighted their contrasting perspectives--Kathy's dream of owning a dollhouse and her father building one. Despite being a young adult, she convinced her father to build the massive house for her. After all, a daughter will always be her daddy’s little girl, no matter her age.

The VM-800 was one of Dura-Craft’s most unique creations, with “VM” standing for “Victorian Mansion.” Kathy was captivated by its charm. The dollhouse even came with its own deed, adding a touch of authenticity to the finely crafted house.

Dura-Craft, originally a manufacturer of regular-sized home accessories, ventured into building miniature houses under the leadership of President Dave Christie and Vice President Milo Chapman. They discovered that people were willing to pay upwards of a hundred dollars for these dollhouses, which was a hefty price for the 1970s. When 400 of their miniature homes sold in the first quarter of production, they were astounded by the product's potential.

Dura-Craft's more elaborate models, like Kathy’s, comprised over 70 percent of sales. These houses featured realistic details such as tongue-and-groove clapboard siding, bay windows, and hardwood floors made of oak and walnut veneer. The manual boasted that the siding and other components for the VM-800 were shaped and molded from the finest kiln-dried Ponderosa Pine using custom-modified milling equipment designed in the company's machine shop.

The finished house measured 25” x 52” x 45”. The colossal 28-page manual included 10 sub-assembly instructions and five final assemblies, with five pages listing all the dollhouse parts.

Poor Dad.

At one point, the local newspaper interviewed Mr. Vantran about his progress. He revealed that he had invested 300 hours into the project and still wasn’t done. He spent six hours shingling the balcony roof and 11 hours flooring the living room. When he finally completed the house on December 9, 1981, he continued to build a gazebo and a garage.

Now that’s a labor of love.

Thanks to the dollhouses being built on a scale of one inch to one foot, Dura-Craft could use many short lengths of lumber that full-scale builders found inconvenient. In 1987, it took three semitrailer trucks to supply enough material for the company's millions of tiny shingles.

Today, Dura-Craft's operations have been phased out. However, Kathy is now selling her fully constructed VM-800.

“We are retiring and downsizing,” explained Kathy. “I know there are enthusiasts out there who would love to own this house and give it the love it deserves.” She is offering the house complete with all its accessories, including holiday decor that decks the entire house for Christmas.

If you are a serious dollhouse enthusiast, especially a Dura-Craft fan, please contact us about purchasing. The house is in its raw wood form, fully constructed for you to put the finishing touch to its charm.