East Hartland Connecticut Old Res Day Home Interior 1916 Real Photo Postcard

The parlor, as depicted, was the formal reception and entertainment room in late 19th and early 20th-century American and European homes. Adorned with patterned wallpaper, heavy draperies, and an ornate rug, such spaces reflected prevailing Victorian and Edwardian aesthetic values, emphasizing comfort and an accumulation of decorative items. The prominent reed organ, or pump organ, served as a primary source of domestic entertainment and musical education.