Figure 1.-- This unidentified CDV shows two boys wearin mathing velvet suits with lace claars and wrist cuffs. They are nit the cklassic cut-away jacket and blouse Fauntleroy outfits, but presumably would have been called Fauntleroy suits at the time. They have light-colored horizontal bow which are hard to see. Their suster wears a coordinated velvet dress. Te children look about 6-10 years. The CDV has been cropped, but dealer describes it as Austrian. We are not sure about the date. The style of the CDV suggests the 1880s, but we are less sure vabout dating European CDVs abd cabinet cards than Americam photographs.

We believe the Fauntleroy suit was worn in Austria, at least in Vienna and other cities by boys from affluent families. Francis Burnettblaunched the style in America withe publication of Little Lord Fauntleroy (1885). There were, however, European antecedents. French styles were more influential in Austria than in Germany. We are not sure, however, at this time just how common Fauntleroy suits were in Austria. This is because our Austrian 19th century is very limited, even for the late-19th century when the Fauntleroy suit was in full force. So our assessment is limted at this time. And of course Austria (especially Vienna) was particulrly imporant because it influenced fashions throughout the large Austro-Hungarian Empire. an here it just not be thought that Vienna fashions was a good indicator as to what boys were wearing in the many rural villages. (This is in contast to America where the photographic record shows that the Fauntleroy Craze swept the nation.) We have not yet found formal Fauntleriy suits with velvet cut-away jackets and lacy, ruffled blouses. But because of our limited archive, we can not yet speak to actual prevalence and trends. We do see Austrian boys, mostly Vienna boys, wearing outfits with Fauntleroy touches such as lace collars and large bows. Most of the images we have found date from the early-20th century. They were most common before World war I, but we see a few examples after the war.

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Created: 4:41 AM 2/21/2016
Last updated: 4:41 AM 2/21/2016