Schoenhut dollhouse: Clean it, or leave it be?

[clovis97]

I picked up an antique Schoenhut doll house over the weekend.

I am guessing, merely by style, that the dollhouse dates to the early 1900's, possibly as late as 1920. It is pressed paper/wood construction. The walls have a printed paper sheet over the top, and the roof appears to be painted.

It looks like it has sat in a very dusty area since 1920, and hasn't been cleaned since then. There is at least an inch of dust on the roof, maybe more.

The only way that I see to clean it would be to start wiping with a damp cloth. Because the roof is textured, I think it might take a full day to really clean the dirt and dust out of the grooves.

Clean it, or leave it be, and sell it as is?

 

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[Beans]

If it is paper/wood I would use a soft paint brush to dust it off. Water even a small amount may damage the paper.

 

[silverdollarbill]

Compressed air can may help with hard to reach spots

 

[dejapooh]

Dry brush and MAYBE Vacuum (with a brush attachment). I wouldn't worry too much about the nooks and Crannies. I would even take before and after pictures for the sale. Let the new owners do what they will to it.

 

[clovis97]

Thanks for the replies!

My wife used a paint brush and a Q-tip. This removed 90% of the dirt. It looks right, and is very attractive.