You might remember meeting the Renwal family here nearly three years ago. It's hard to forget these frightening plastic dollhouse figures. My mother's fairly enviable collection of Renwal includes just three people: the Scary Mom, Scary Dad and Scary Daughter. I saw them staring out at me from inside a plastic bag Friday morning, which is what initially caught my attention and led to the purchase of this dollhouse. Most of the items that came with the dollhouse were by other makers, but there was enough Renwal to make me happy. There was a Renwal baby buggy and two Renwal babies, who look remarkably cheerful given the family into which they were born. And given the fact that unlike the rest of the family, they are entirely unclothed.
Despite their unhappy expressions and terrible paint jobs, the figures are well made and can sit down and stand up. Clearly all of the time and effort went into making their complicated jointed knees, because the paint is just awful. Oddly, my newly acquired Renwal Dad has exactly the same paint job as my mother's Renwal Dad. It's as if someone instructed workers to dab a little blue paint on his nose and hairline.
My mom is going to be pretty jealous when she hears that I now have the Renwal Scary Son, because she doesn't. I'll have to find out if she had one and lost him, or if she never had one, and if so, whether she didn't want one, and whether that was because she might have had issues with her own brother. Sure, collecting dollhouse figures looks simple, but who knows what kind of family dynamics might be revealed? If the conversation gets too fraught, I'm just going to change the subject and mention that my Scary Daughter has a much worse paint job than her Scary Daughter.
Also, please notice that despite the fact they have a cute rocking chair and a very slick tricycle with moving pedals, both children look desperately unhappy. Kids these days. Or, actually, those days. They're never happy.
That really is a bad paint job on each of those figures...perhaps ONE person was responsible for painting them day in and day out, figure after figure and took his/her job frustrations out with paint. I can't imagine a whole crew of folks that painted that badly and still kept a job.
Congrats on acquiring scary son.
Posted by: laurie magpieethel | July 15, 2012 at 10:23 PM
Your scary family is a pretty nifty collection. I can't get enough dollhouse and vintage toy posts. Keep them coming.
Posted by: Musings from Kim K. | July 15, 2012 at 10:33 PM
It's on these posts, when you wander into the deep crevices of your dark whimsy, that I am most entertained by you.......:)
Posted by: Maria (Magia Mia) | July 15, 2012 at 11:26 PM
I think that little feller doesn't like wearing that necktie and the mother and father clearly have a lot on their minds since their babies have to go naked. I'm sure that is why they chose all that practical hard plastic furniture.
Posted by: Kathy | July 15, 2012 at 11:48 PM
I couldn't agree more with Maria!
Posted by: Tina | July 16, 2012 at 05:17 AM
Is it just me or does Scary Mom look like she is on a swim team somewhere? Broad shoulders! As for the Scary Baby Twins they are clearly adopted with those eye issues. I would like to say that todays toys are far to perfect and hence all the issues with kids...not me and my OCD...no...Love Mr. and Mrs. Scary. way to one up mom...smiles...Renee
Posted by: Renee | July 16, 2012 at 09:14 AM
They are a bit stern, but I love them anyway.
An observation: the family appears to be molded from colored plastic (mother-red, father-blue, sister-yellow, brother-brown) with the skin, hair and other details painted on. What you are seeing on their faces and hair, I believe is actually paint loss from use, exposing the colored plastic underneath the paint, instead of a bad paint job.
Posted by: Martha | July 16, 2012 at 12:07 PM
Wait a minute .... I have to stop laughing ! You are SO funny ! Yes, this family is absolutely terrifying. It is no wonder the mother looks so grim - just look at the size of those babies ! They're huge !
Posted by: Lisa W. | July 16, 2012 at 07:45 PM
Bad paint job or genetic skin disorder ... it appears all members of the family are afflicted. Mother Renwal has certainly retained her girlish figure despite having given birth to not one but two enormous babies. Perhaps that explains the expression on her face.
Posted by: Into Vintage | July 17, 2012 at 12:56 AM
Oh gosh Barbara, this just might be your funniest post to date. Love your blog!
Posted by: Kim | July 19, 2012 at 07:46 PM