This dollhouse belonged to Adaline Van Horne (1868-1941), daughter of Sir William Cornelius Van Horne, a famous Canadian railroad magnate, and his wife, Lady Van Horne (née Doris Lucy Adaline Hurd).
For many years, Germany was the largest and best-known maker of dollhouses and miniature accessories. German items were regularly exported to North America and England right up until World War I.
Miniature houses were very popular in the Victorian era. In many cases, children were able to play with scale models of their own homes - the adult world in miniature!
There are thirteen dollhouses and some 900 items of furniture and accessories in the McCord Museum's toy collection. The oldest house is made of wood and dates from the 1850s, while the most recent one is plastic and was made in 1983.