DOLL AND DOLLHOUSE
  SCALES DEFINED 

Bentley House Minis really gets into the subject of scaling in the following Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_ooX1aXGFk

Joanne has a Youtube that demonstrates scales:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2rv4HCsaOM

However, neither the above mentions 1:3 scale, which I call Girl Doll scale. That category includes such dolls as American Girl and My Twinn. I tend to include any doll that is 16"-20" in that range.

There's also another factor when considering scale. That is the thickness of the doll, i.e., is she a 12" chubby little girl or a 12" adult woman. A cookie should look bigger in a little girl's hand than in an adult's hand. Yet a Barbie has tiny hands compared to her height. Sometimes you just have to use your mind's-eye to determine what will work for your situation.

By the way, I prefer to use the ratio symbol when expressing scale. For example. 1:3 instead of 1/3. The following might be a good visual for you. I don't know the author in order to give credit. Though the doll 2nd from the left is technically 1:12 scale, she would tend to look out-of-scale in a standard dollhouse.

doll scale chart

Here's my rule of thumb:

1:3 Girl Doll Scale
This scale includes young girl doll sizes 16"-20". There are also some tall fashion dolls that would be included in the 1:3 category.
1:6 Fashion Doll/Play Scale
12"-14" (approximately) Barbie type dolls and girl play dolls
1:9 Hitty Preble Dolls
The original Hitty doll is a 6.25" girl style doll. Thicker body than say a 6" dollhouse doll. She's considered a girl rather than an adult...although she does get dressed as a bride. Hmmmm.
1:12 Dollhouse Scale
This is standard dollhouse scale. For every 12 inches in the real world, 1 inch will do in the dollhouse world. A 6 foot real man should be a 6 inch tall man in the dollhouse.

1:24 is Half-inch Dollhouse Scale
That 6" man in the 1:12 Dollhouse should be 3" in the half-inch dollhouse. When speaking of 1/2" dollhouse scale I express it as 1:24, using the ratio ":" symbol instead of 1/24. That helps eliminate confusion. I have a couple of projects at this scale. It's just too small for me to make the proto-types, so I don't intend to add any more at this scale.

1:48 is Quarter-inch Dollhouse Scale
This is itsy-bitsy and way to small for me to design. I do have some dollhouses that would be considered 1/4" scale, but I can't design the furniture. This scale is more impressions of things rather than exact replicas.
   

 What Scale Will Work Best for You?

The following table might help you determine if the larger 1:6 scaled books will work better for you, or perhaps you will have assurance that the smaller 1:12 version will work best.
American Girl and Eloise Wilkin
18" American Girl Doll with
1:6 scale Eloise Wilkin book
12 inch Antique Doll and Eloise Wilkin
12" Antique French
Fashion Doll
with 1:6 scale
Eloise Wilkin book
12in fashion doll and large Eloise Wilkin book
12" Fashion Doll
(thicker than Barbie)
with 1:6 scale Eloise Wilkin book
Hitty 6.25 doll with Eloise Wilkin book
6.25" Hitty Doll
with 1:12 scale
Eloise Wilkin book
Betsy McCall 8in doll w Eloise Wilkin Book
8" Betsy McCall Doll
with 1:6 scale
Eloise Wilkin book
12in Fashion Doll and small Eloise Wilkin book
12" Fashion Doll
(thicker than Barbie)
with 1:12 scale Eloise Wilkin book
  Betsy McCall 8in Doll and Eloise Wilkin book
8" Betsy McCall Doll
with 1:12 scale Eloise Wilkin book
 

 

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