The doll in the solid red dress with black lace is by Liz Staryk. When I find my mother’s book of records, I will add the provenance of the others.
In the first floor apartment, the ladies have been dressed and waiting for their escort to take them to an evening at the theater. The lady on the left is on trend for the 1880s with a bustle. The golfer arrives errantly late, and the lady in the center is rolling her eyes, while her sister looks on in sympathy.
My mother intended for this apartment house to represent immigration to America in the nineteenth century, so the dolls in this house generally look Irish, Swedish, or Chinese. The first floor apartment is occupied by an Irish family, the second by a Swedish family, and the third by a Chinese family. Unfortunately, the reality of 1900 in San Francisco would likely find the three families residing in different parts of town rather than in the same building. These families made their fortunes in the gold rush, so their clothing and furnishings are opulent.
The first floor apartment is rather crowded, as if they are having a party before the theater.