The Calico Critters have left their mark in the toy industry, upgrading themselves from just toys to valued collectables and antiques.
The famous miniatures hold significant value in the market, alongside unique qualities of holding their characteristics and being created by an especially flocked material.
However, critters’ collectors have not only focused their interests on the miniature animals themselves but also on their accessories and furniture. A common question asked by collectors and dollhouse enthusiasts is the scale of Calico Critters.
Calico Critters are use standard dollhouse scale of 1:12, but the critters themselves are shaped differently than standard dolls, they are much shorter. That being said, Calico Critters can be used with 1:12 scale furniture and accessories.
This article will determine the accurate scale of Calico Critters, how to gauge the scale if unsure and touch upon dollhouse compliance with accessories and their measurements.
Average Dollhouse Size
An average of doll’s houses are primarily measured at the scale ratio of 1:12. This is the most common scale for dollhouses designed for housing children’s dolls.
It is easy to state the ratio, but most individuals would not understand this scale measurement, questioning if average dolls and doll accessories such as furniture and more would comply with a 1:12 scale.
The 1:12 scale is rooted in the imperial measuring system, which translates to one inch of the doll’s house equating to one foot of a real-life-sized house, i.e., twelve times smaller than a real-life full-sized house. Historically, this measurement was chosen as the scale set for Queen Mary’s dollhouse.
This scale is a popular choice for creating intricately carved, well-detailed houses, dolls themselves, alongside dollhouse accessories and furniture.
When checking how big a Critters’ dollhouse is, one may ask, how tall are Calico Critters? The figures themselves are typically measured to be 7-7.5cm tall, and so when used with 1:12 scale-sized furniture, the dolls would be relatively shorter.
Critters come with their furniture and accessories, which can be separately purchased. So the brand’s sizes are all in compliance with the Calico Critters houses, accessories and dolls themselves.
1:12 Scale For First-time Buyers
When buying a dollhouse for the first time, the best measurement to opt for is a 1:12 scale, as it is the most commonly sought outsize. Most dollhouse accessories and furniture are crafted to cater to a 1:12 scale, as the size is great in terms of compatibility for children to handle and play with.
If one is uncertain of the scale, for example, in the instance of a doll house being handed down or was hand-made, and the scale remains uncertain – the best place to start would be by measuring the height of the door. If the door is approximately 6-7 inches, the house is of a 1:12 scale, and so, a range of furniture and accessories designed for that particular scale would fit perfectly.
This 1:12 scale is popularly available as it is the most common scale used for dollhouses. It is also adopted by Calico Critters and the company’s respective houses, furniture and accessories, with the dolls themselves varying in size.
Other scales found amongst dollhouses would be comparatively traditional doll house scales such as that of 1:6. This scale sizes a 12-inch fashion doll and accessories.
A much smaller scale of 1:24 is also a commonly found scale, but this mainly serves the purpose of collectables, as dollhouses for adults and collectors. Another extremely miniature scale is that of 1:48, which is quite small in size!
Overall, the best size to get for first-time buyers is the 1:12 scale, which is, of course, subject to the purpose, i.e. whether for children or collectors. If one is uncertain of the size and scale, it is best to check with the sellers and artisans.
Scale Of Furniture And Accessories
The most popular scale for dollhouses themselves is a 1:12 scale, also known as a 1″ scale. This refers to one inch equal to one foot in layman’s terms. To further elaborate, if an object in real life is measured to be six feet long, for example, a sofa, it would be six inches long according to a 1:12 ratio scale.
Many individuals tend to use Barbie dollhouses as the key comparable, with Barbie, Ken, and other popular kids’ dolls being at a 1:6 dollhouse scale ratio.
Determining The Scale
The dollhouse world itself primarily consists of four primal scales (or sizes) when measuring scales. The most popular, the 1” (one-inch), also known as the 1:12 scale is the most common.
The other scales found in dollhouses include a half-inch which is 1:24, a quarter-inch, numerically 1:48 and the 144th, which by ratio is 1:144.
If the dollhouse scale remains unknown, there are different ways to determine the scale. The first has been previously mentioned to gauge a rough estimate to measure the house’s door.
However, to get a clearer reading, one can determine it by measuring the ceiling height of the first floor and main level. If this measurement reads between 8 inches and 10 inches, the dollhouse belongs to a 1:12 scale.
Comparing Conversions
Additionally, for a 1:24 scale dollhouse, the ceiling height would measure between 4 to 5 inches, and for 1:48 scale dollhouses, the ceiling height would be around 2 to 2-½ inches. Finally, for a 1:144 scale dollhouse, the first floor (to ceiling) height would measure 3/4 inches.
A simpler way to understand the conversion would be that 1″ = 1′ in one-inch scale; 1″ = 2′ in half-inch scale; 1″ = 4′ in quarter-inch scale; and 1″ = 12′ in 144th scale.
The key reason why 1:12 scale dollhouses are the popular choice is the ease of conversion!