A Scandinavian Fantasy

[Tom Greensfelder]

Hey, VK. Ballermann and Son have issued reproductions, but as far as I know the originals were solely part of the monthly magazine. They were printed on heavier paper and were a bound-in insert in the middle of the issue.

[Vermin_King]

That explains the models with cover pages. Thanks

[Thumb Dog]

Hi All,

And thanks again all for the encouraging words.

Don, I had a similar problem with my castle, as I could see that the positioning of the connecting bridge would make or break the model. My solution was to first glue the main tower to the base, keeping the smaller tower free. Next I built the bridge, but I didn’t attach the roof right away, as that gave the part a bit more flexibility. Then, I glued both tabs of the bridge in place to the smaller tower.

After dry-fitting the small tower’s base and the free end of the bridge to find the best positions, I glued the small tower to the base but only glued one of the bridge’s remaining tabs in place to the larger tower. This gave me the flexibility to push and bend the last tab into place before I glued it to the larger tower. Lastly, I glued the roof after correcting some fit issues. That bridge was the most difficult part to fit of all three models shown.

VK, your question hadn’t occurred to me before, but as there are no Illustreret Familie-Journal headings or page numbers on the Ravnerede model, I can see where your question comes from. Tom Greensfelder certainly has more direct experience with the original models and their origins than I do, and his informed answer is yet another point of interest concerning the models of Hans Christian Madsen and Aller Press.

Tom, thanks for your kind comments and thank Alexandra Lopez for her superb build of her Fairy Princes Castle, too.

Score and fold,

Thumb Dog

[SCEtoAUX]

Some things that I wonder about with those types of vintage models is the original size of the magazine page, the color of the page, and how vibrant the colors of the model were when originally published.

The pages of the scans are all browned with age probably because of the acid content of the paper. But I have seen some old magazines printed on light brown paper or off-white paper like newsprint.

When I clean those scans I tend to play around with the color settings trying to get an aesthetic compromise.

[Diderick A. den Bakker]

About the colours: colours used in 19th century lithography, especially on cheap paper like these magazines, never seem to be very bright. Originals of (for instance) Imagerie d'Epinal (Pellerin),and the Danish Familien Journal show this. Also bear in mind that the paper was probably not very white, and is always seriously discoloured now. See example.

[Hobbywolfi]

Originally Posted by Thumb Dog

Only Adventurous Travelers Need Apply

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Firstly, consider this multi-story compound atop a colorful Swedish mountain crag. After you’ve arrived at the bottommost cottage on the precipice, you’ll want to drop off your luggage and freshen up. Once rested, if you’d like to explore the rest of the cottages, just bundle up, take a deep breath against the cold and hop up the few steps to the next cottage in the compound. Each cabin has its own vivid décor, many dealing with Swedish history. Enjoy the Vasa Deckhouse and the Silver Throne Room among others.

As usual, the most popular destination in the compound is the topmost cottage, known as the Golden Chalet. It’s here where a lone visitor will tend to spend most of his time, as the Chalet is exclusively staffed by local, fair-haired maidens who will happily prepare Swedish cuisine such as Punschrulle and Hönökaka for your dining pleasure. And after filling your hand with a small mug of glögg, these bright, young, Swedish women will engage you with sparkling conversation in their own, seductive, native language. There’s no need to answer…it’s always best if you quietly smile as you gently nod your head.


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As you make your way up to the top of the highest tower and finally enter the sumptuous wooden apartment found there, you’ll be happy to find a warm, welcoming room that is peopled by attractive and attentive local maidens, all with champagne-colored hair. As they see you enter, they’ll offer a winsome smile and each will softly sigh your name, as they will be enlivened to know that you have at last found your way to them. As they busily prepare a light meal including kjøttboller and krumkake, they will present you with a traditional tulip-shaped glass of akevitt. Again, smiles all around without a word of understanding, but in the end, does it really matter?


Lastly, our smallest retreat is located on the disputed Tartupaluk Island, located in the Nares Strait, between Canada and Greenland in the Arctic Ocean. The ownership dispute is between Denmark, who lightly governs Greenland as an autonomous dependent territory, and Canada. Both governments claim the small isle in the name of fishing and mineral rights.

International contretemps aside, the small cottage on offer is built atop the remains of the only tree to ever grow on the island, and as such, it makes for a unique lodging. Other than the broad, spreading stump and the rapidly deteriorating cabin, there is nothing else there. No electricity, no running water, no fair-haired maidens. However, the bleak setting regularly draws a certain kind of adventurer to it, and surprisingly, there is a long waiting list to occupy the cottage. Strangely, this isolated, elevated hut is often the preferred retreat of a peculiar type of hobbyist, people known as paper modelers. It seems they enjoy the chance to venture to the ends of the earth only to spend their time cutting out colorful bits of paper and sticking them together to construct models of anything they desire. Ships, planes, even models of fanciful Scandinavian structures seem to hold an interest for these dedicated devotees.

Parties interested in these and other unique destinations may submit their Black Card for approval.

Very nice and great work

[asettico]

Really nice and fascinating setting... something magical...

[Hobbywolfi]

Originally Posted by Tom Greensfelder

The three models are beautifully built and very amusingly described, Thumb Dog! I would like to add this one to the list, but it's not for travelers. This is HCM's Fairy Princess Castle and my guess is anyone not of royal blood or from storybook land would be unwelcome. The model was built by the talented Alexandra Lopez.

Hello Tom, is there a link where I can find the model? Greetings Wolfram

[Tom Greensfelder]

Originally Posted by Diderick A. den Bakker

About the colours: colours used in 19th century lithography, especially on cheap paper like these magazines, never seem to be very bright. Originals of (for instance) Imagerie d'Epinal (Pellerin),and the Danish Familien Journal show this. Also bear in mind that the paper was probably not very white, and is always seriously discoloured now. See example.

I have to disagree with you a little, Diderick. There were many different printing techniques used during the 19thc. The example you gave from Pellerin, in fact, colored their prints using stencils and watercolors. Watercolor pigments were of quite good quality at that time and hold up well. Both the colors of the older paper models and the paper itself suffered a lot from exposure to light and other abuses.

The other factor to consider is aesthetics. My impression is that the IFJ designers preferred a more subtle color palette and avoided harsh combinations of primary colors.

[SCEtoAUX]

The paper the magazine pages were printed on could have been highly acidic also which would account for some of the browning with age.
Anyway, when I clean up the pages I tend to adjust the color to suit my eyes. Sometimes I leave the colors subtle, sometimes not so subtle.