Figure 1.-- Here is the Kaufladen when my son got it in 1972. Now it has a balcony, staircase, fruit baskets, and new equipment. My son the merchant was 4 years old.

I asked our reader why this was a boy's toy. He explained, "well, in former days, merchants were male, isn't it? For young boys, thus, it was obvious to prepare them. Of course, in playing, boys and girls were clients of the Kaufladen. Girls got doll houses, two room appartments, three room appartments, with citchen, one floor, two floors. Also to prepare them as housewives. Brothers and boys coming to visit the family were included in playing, certainly. My wife's doll house has been lost, only some old, very fine furniture still exists. I will add a photo of her doll house and citchen in an old photo, 1939, three years old. Because girls got the doll houses, some different toy house was prepared for boys - a possible explanation of the difference! - I don't know. In my case, up to the present forth generation, there were boys playing with it. Certainly my mother had a doll house, it is lost, no photo exists. Her brothers played with the Kaufladen. I had no siblings, my son had no siblings. The two girls now playing with it have a young brother, too young for it; and another cousin not living nearby; thus, at the moment only the girls come."

Created: 9:21 AM 12/30/2009
Last updated: 9:21 AM 12/30/2009