Figure 1.--The first portrit shows the boy at 2-3 years of age with his sister who looks to be about 6 year old. The boy has ringlet curls and a hair bow. Note how diifferently his sister's hair is done. She does not have a hair bow or ringlets anf her hair is parted in the center. Image courtesy of the RG collection. |
A HBC reader has sent us three portraits of an unidentified boy. Unfortunately we have no information about the images. We believe that they were probably taken about 1905-10. They are clearly America, but we do not know where in America the boy was from. His clothing are an example of just how popular white clothing were for children in the early 20th century. The first portrit shows the boy at 2-3 years of age with his sister . In this portrait one he is wearing a white dress. The second portrait is with his Mother. He is still unbreeched and ears a white dress and hat. The third is after breeching. He wears a white knickers suit. In all three images he has long blond hair and wears a hair bow, even in the portrit after breeching. There are no marks of any kind on them. The mother is wearing a long dress so I guess that would make it before World War I. The child's hat looks after the turn of the century. The mother looks like she is in mourning dress.
A HBC reader has sent us three portraits of an unidentified boy. Unfortunately we have no information about the images. The smart clothing and elegant hair styling suggest to us that the children came from an affluent family. The existence of fashionable studio portraits is another sign of affluence. There is no indication that the family was necessarily wealthy, but clearly they lived comfortably. There are no identifying marks of any kind on these portraits nor any written inscriptions which would provide any insights into the family.
We believe that these portraits were probably taken about 1905-10.
These portraits are clearly America, but we do not know where in America the boy was from. We thought that the white clothes and open neck dress might suggest southern states. The suit that the boy wears after breeching, however, especially the heavy kneesocks, seem more likely to be northern.
The boy's clothing are an example of just how popular white clothing were for children in the early 20th century. The first portrit shows the boy at 2-3 years of age with his sister . In this portrait one he is wearing a white dress. It is very difficult to make out any details about the dress (figure 1). The second portrait is with his Mother. He is still unbreeched and wears a white dress and extremely fancy bonnet. Had it not been for the fact that this image was in a group, we would have assumed the child here was a girl. The child also has a small braclet. The third is after breeching. He wears a white knickers suit. The jacket is belted double breasted and rather long. The self belt has buttons rather than a buckle. There are no lapels and it buttons at the collar. It is worn with a white bow. One unusual feature is heay white kneesocks. We have noted white stickings and socks a very common, but not usually heavy white kneesocks like these. The mother is wearing a long dress so I guess that would make it before World War I. The child's hat looks after the turn of the century. The mother looks like she is in mourning dress.
The boy's sister looks to be about 8-10 yeras older than her little brother. She is is seen here wearing what looks like a white dress. There is no collar, but there looks like a very large neckline ruffle with colored bands. Unlike her broher she does not have a hairbow, although they were extremely popular for girls at the time. Her mother clearly liked hair bows. We wonder if she does not have a hair bow becuuse her brother is wearing one. Another portrait a few years later shows her wearing a dress with a night neck and pinafore-type shoulder ruffles. Is this portrait, a songle portrait by herself, she does wear a hairbow.
In all three images, the boy has long blond hair worn in ringles and wears a hair bow, even in the portrit after breeching. His sister 's hair was done quite differently. She did not wear ringlets and had a distincr center part.
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