Sunday, June 6, 2010

The turn of the century

The turn of the Century was an optimistic time. Cars, planes, telephones were being developed. Cable cars began to give way to electric trolleys. Bicycles were all the rage AND every historical account mentioned how great it was not to have horse manure in the streets!
Food was more plentiful in Califonia than the rest of the country because of the climate and the Central Valley. Women were freed from the burden of sewing all the clothes for their families
by new readymade clothing in stores. People ventured out of their homes for entertainment. Golden Gate Park was considered the Disneyland of it's day. Katie Van Ness went there as often as she could cajole a family member to take her.

With Opera, Theater and burgeoning public arts projects, San Francisco dared to call itself the Paris of the West.

This is the Kitchen in the Victorian house.


The cook is grumpy and bullies the maids. Not every room in a house is a happy one.
I am not inspired by this room. It has old 1970's version of victorian wallpaper and small yellow tiles one the floor which makes the house heavy. It needs a stove appropriate to the era and the sink it too new, I think sometimes it is best to leave a room fallow and wait for another person to come along when they are inspired to redo it. I like the dolls, especially the maid's costumes.

6 comments:

Meli Abellán said...

I like the kitchen and the people that works in it!!!
Meli

My Realitty said...

I think the colors are good, but it need appropriate decoration. I like the dolls. They are fun C

Shale said...

I just got the email below from a friend. It fits in with CM's San Fran turn of the century post perfectly. I hope you enjoy it. The comments below are from the person who posted it on Youtube.
Susan

104 YEAR OLD FILM CLIP

Please take the seven-minute trip down San Francisco's street in 1906.

"You are there" for a street car ride in San Francisco"

This film was "lost" for many years. It was the first 35mm film ever. It was taken by camera mounted on the front of a cable car.

The number of automobiles is staggering for 1906. Absolutely
amazing! The clock tower at the end of Market Street at the Embarcadero
wharf is still there. ... How many "street cleaning" people were
employed to pick up after the horses? Talk about going green!
NOTE THAT THEIR STEERING WHEEL IS ON THE RIGHT SIDE.

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=NINOxRxze9k
(copy and paste the entire URL into your browser)

This film, originally thought to be from 1905 until David Kiehn with the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum figured out exactly when it was shot. From New York trade papers announcing the film showing to the wet streets from recent heavy rainfall & shadows indicating time of year & actual weather and conditions on historical record, even when the cars were registered (he even knows who owned them and when the plates were issued!).. It was filmed only four days before the Great California Earthquake of April 18th 1906 and shipped by train to NY for processing. Amazing, but true!

My Realitty said...

Thank you Susan! What a great addition. It really make you feel like you are there on Market Street. What a gem. C

Amy's Miniatures And Smalls said...

Hi CM. I wrote a long comment the other day and Blogger wouldn't save it. So I'm writing again. Thanks for the mention but I am NO Lundby expert by any means. I do really like the 3/4 (1:16 to 1:18) scale as the challenge to find and create items is greater. I love the Bricadada houses too but would have to see it in person before I order. Love your new lay out on this blog too.

My Realitty said...

Hi Amy, You don't have to be an expert... just a citizen of Lundby Land to have an opinion, which you are! I agree... about having to see, and touch the new models before decidings how one feels about them. We don't abandon our children for every cute new baby that comes along either. I think my MH1 will satisfy my Bauhaus needs, I LOVE it. But the Brinca Dada press is certainly fun! C