The Floods Apartment Private Rooms

Posted on 11/15/24

Authored & Curated By
M.J.G.

We are moving to the private rooms of the Flood family residence within this rented apartment house. In today’s photo study, we’ll explore the bedrooms and the objects within them. James Leary Flood and Rose Flood, originally Rose Fritz, rented this two-family house from Dr. C. D. Salfield in 1892.

The San Francisco Examiner on May 25, 1887, Salfield purchased this lot for $2,475. The house was built sometime between then and 1892.

James and Rose married despite objections from James’s family, as Rose, known as “Petey,” came from a different social standing and had a past as a burlesque queen. After their marriage, Rose’s younger sister, Maude, joined them at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco, where she began living with them at the age of eleven. Maude is said to have later lived with James and Rose in the home we will see today and perhaps one of the bedrooms. Constance, the unofficially adopted daughter, had her own room in this residence as well which we will soon see.

Don't forget to click photos to make them bigger!

Chamber 1
It’s unclear whose room this was. The bed is positioned slightly off-center between the two doors to accommodate a small table on the left. The room features wall-to-wall carpeting and a unique combination gas/electric light fixture.

By the late 19th century, metal beds became increasingly popular due to a heightened awareness of hygiene and cleanliness. Iron and brass, unlike wood, provided non-porous surfaces that resisted dust accumulation and were less likely to harbor bedbugs. Wooden beds, with their crevices and porous structure, were more susceptible to dust and pest infestations, raising hygiene concerns. Metal beds, on the other hand, were easier to dismantle and clean, supporting a more sanitary sleeping environment—an important consideration at a time when disease transmission was a significant public concern.

Illustrated catalogs, like the one above, soon began shifting from wood bedsteads to metal as styles and demand evolved.

A closer look at the bed cover. The round insert at the foot of the bed is interesting. Is it mother of pearl? Does it have a pattern on it?

A close-up view of the carpeting. In the late 19th century, health concerns prompted some households to switch to wood floors with throw rugs, making cleaning easier. However, as seen in many photos from the period, not everyone adopted this new trend.

On top of the dresser sits a photo of a man, a photo of a child—possibly Constance—and, on a miniature easel to the right, a photo of a woman. Could this have been Maude’s room, Rose’s sister? We’ll see these same items in the child’s room later. Determining room ownership based on objects can be challenging, as items were often rearranged or moved from room to room by the photographer.

Also on the dresser, you’ll notice a bottle that appears to be perfume, and a large pillow pin cushion in the center. Additionally, the light fixture is missing both the electric bulb and the glass globe.

A closer view of the unique wallpaper frieze border. Notice that while many of the fixtures in this house are equipped for electric lights, there are no bulbs installed. Given the unreliability of electricity in its early days, it’s possible they relied more on gas lighting than electric.

Zooming in on typical 1890’s valance and lace.

Chamber 2
This bedroom, like the first, features a variety of beautiful furniture, a subtly decorated frieze, and a combination light fixture. A particularly attractive corner dressing table adds to the room’s charm.

An intriguing asymmetrical drapery, accented with a braided rope tassel overlay.

The brass work on this table is both attractive and intriguing. It’s the kind of piece that would be a great find at an antique store today.

It’s always intriguing to wonder why people display the items they do. Was it a gift from someone? Is the item a favorite, like the tiny bunny to the right of the statue? Was it so beautifully crafted that the owner couldn’t resist buying it, or perhaps it was a souvenir from a trip?

Here, you can see a deeply tufted corner chair being used at the vanity table. What’s behind the curtains? Curtains were often used in a variety of ways during this time—perhaps to cover unsightly items or to conceal openings when there wasn’t a door. They were also commonly used to cover bookcases or even to hide mantel openings.

For furniture enthusiasts of this style, let’s zoom in to appreciate the intricate details of this carved piece.

Turning from the window, we see the other side of the room, offering a better view of the bed, the frieze paper, and the dresser. Notice the portière dividing an opening into another area. The opening is not framed but features curved corners. Could this have been a nook? A room with a sink? Or perhaps a hallway leading to a bathroom and toilet?

The illustration above is from an 1890s mattress catalog that offered mattresses filled with hair, cotton, and other materials. Ready-made mattresses were available in single and double sizes, which are equivalent to today’s twin and full sizes. The queen and king sizes were not introduced until the 1950s.

This portière is rich in design, adorned with tassels and cords. A closer look at the unframed opening sparks curiosity about what lies behind it. The portière can be opened by pulling the string on the left.

Here’s a refined version of your sentence: Long strings and tassels hang down from the braided ones above, creating a very unique effect.

The half-tester bed is draped with a heavily ornamental covering, featuring a mix of fringed drapery and lace.

This is a pretty standard combination fixture for the era. Also notice the electric light seems to be devoid of bulbs.

Constance’s Room
This room is clearly Constance’s bedroom, with all the charm of a child’s space. However, its exact location is somewhat puzzling. Could it be in one of the round sections? If so, the window style doesn’t quite align; the round turret window is divided into three sections, while this bedroom window appears to be split into two, resembling the one on the front gable of the house—though the curtain obscures it. The room is furnished with rattan baby furniture. According to Dr. Salfield, he was asked to renovate the third-floor room to accommodate the new baby coming to their home and also installed a large bronze gate at the top of the stairs so Constance couldn’t fall down them.

Late 19th-century fabric printing became a significant industry, offering a wide range of prints. This popular cat pillow, often seen in photos from the late 19th to early 20th centuries, was even reproduced in the 20th century.

For those who enjoy browsing catalogs, the 1890s Montgomery Ward catalog is a great resource. Access the catalog by clicking here. It is available to borrow online for free by clicking the borrow button at the top of the page.

Here’s a close-up of the baby’s washbasin. It’s not often we get a glimpse into children’s rooms from this era. This playful table is adorned with charming drawings, and the baby rattle features what appears to be two bells hanging from it, adding a touch of whimsy to the space.

Vases with flowers, dolls, toys, and a picture of the mother on an easel, which looks strikingly similar—if not identical—to the one in the bedroom, along with perhaps a photo of little Constance herself.

Moving Items
On the left is the child’s room and on the right is Chamber 1. Here we can see the small easel and photo, perhaps of Rose moved from the first bedroom to this one. A common thing we see in old interior photos where the photographer is setting the stage.

A fascinating framed item on the wall depicts a baby facing a wall. This room has an interesting shape. At first glance, it seems to be covered in fabric, but upon closer inspection, it appears to be beadboard. Now, take note of the picture of the man at the bottom of the frame…

Moving Items
Here is the same framed photo, likely from the first bedroom, relocated here for the photo.

Comparing Today To Yesterday
The dining room mantel remains in place today, as does the Lincrusta wallpaper below the chair rail. All of the woodwork in the room has been painted, except for the mantel. In this photo, you can see that the room is being used as a bedroom, and the house has been converted into smaller apartments. At one time, the house served as an inn.

The light fixtures are missing, and it appears that all of the tile has been replaced. This could have been necessary after the 1906 earthquake, when the tile may have been damaged and required replacement.

The bedroom seems to retain all of the original woodwork, doors, windows, and picture rail, but it has been painted.

Next we’ll examine the photos from the summer residence.

Click the images below if you've missed the previous posts on this house.

The Flood House Exterior

Inside the First Floor

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