Affluent United States Family (1890s)


Figure 1.--Unfortunalely we have no information about this unidentified American family. It is also undated, but we would guess was taken in the 1890s. The portrait has a white border which might help date it. We do not know who the children are, but surely they are a sister and two brothers.

Unfortunalely we have no information about this unidentified American family. It is also undated, but we would guess was taken in the 1890s. The early 1900s is possible, but the 1890s seems more likely to us. The portrait has a white border which might help date it. The children lool to be about 2-8 years old. We do not know who the children are, but surely they are a sister and two brothers. It is possible of course that the child on the right is a girl with short hair. We think that this is unlikely, however, because a mother would be unlikely to do one girl with long hair and a hair bow and the other with short hair. This is especially true because the older child is the one with short hair. Notice how the younger child has his hair done like his older brother. The children all look to be wearing very frilly white smocks. Usually smocks were a more utilitarian garment. Perhaps the garments are better described as summer frocks. The older boy looks a bit old to still be wearing frocks. Many mothers at the time liked to address the children in identical outfits. They are dressed alike except that the older chilren wear black long stockings and the younger boy short white socks.







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Created: 1:03 AM 7/1/2006
Last updated: 1:03 AM 7/1/2006