Figure 12.--This image is not identified. This boy looks to be about 16-17 years old and wears a kneepants suit and kneesocks with high top shoes. To his left is a flat cap. We are unsure about the nationality. It seems most likely a German image, although it might be English. In the end we find that the boy was Italian. We suspect that the photograph was taken about 1920.

This image is not identified. This boy looks to be about 16-17 years old and wears a kneepants suit and kneesocks with high top shoes. He is meticulously groomed and very carefully dressed. His toe is done perfectly and his kneesocks pulled up to his knees. To his left is a flat cap. We are unsure about the nationality. It seems most likely a German image, although it might be English. There appear to be colored bands on his kneesocks, although it is difficult to tell. Stripped kneesocks suggest a British school uniform, although we have seen them in other countries. English school uniforms for boys this age generally did not involve eother kneepants or short pants in the early 1920s. For that reason I think German is most likely. Here I am primarily going on the boys's fascial characeristics. We suspect that the photograph was taken about 1920. It is probably not the 1910s as long stockings were usually worn, except for Scouting. Kneesocks became more common in the 1910s and began to replace long stockings in the 1920s. There are, however, some aspects of his clothes that suggest that the image was taken before about 1925. These are the kneepants buttons at the hem of the shorts and the hightop shoes. The jacket has a hint of Norfolk styling which was still very popular in the eraly 1920s. We would be interested in any thoughts HBC readers might have on this image.

Clothing

The boy here wears a kneepants suit and kneesocks with high top shoes. To his left is a flat cap.

Grooming

The boy is meticulously groomed and very carefully dressed. His toe is done perfectly and his kneesocks pulled up to his knees.

Country Discussion

We are unsure about the nationality. There is general agreement that this boy is definitely European. An American boy this age would have worn long pants or knickers. It seems most likely a German image, although it might be English. There appear to be colored bands on his kneesocks, although it is difficult to tell. Stripped kneesocks suggest a British school uniform, although we have seen them in other countries. English school uniforms for boys this age generally did not involve eother kneepants or short pants in the early 1920s. For that reason I think German is most likely. Here I am primarily going on the boys's fascial characeristics.

German

An American reader writes, "I agree that the boy is most likely German rather than English--or at least continental. This single-breasted suit is a little bit like the ones I used to wear with long stockings in the late 1930s for dress-up occasions, but without the buttons at the hem of the trousers and the button on the breast pocket. I guess the difference is that the boy is wearing knee pants and I wore shorts. Also I think my shorts were a bit shorter than these because short pants were getting quite a bit shorter in the 1930s. I agree too that the boy's features suggest Germany.

England

A reader writes, "The button on the breast pocket doesn't look very English to me, and the boy is too old to be wearing short pants in England, even this early in the century. I don't see the stripe at the top of the boy's knee socks, but maybe you have better eyes than I do."

Italy

A Dutch reader writes, "This boy looks Spanish (or Italian) to me." In fact the HBC reader who sent us this image, reports that the photograph was printed on post card stock. This was common in the 1910s and 20s so that patrnts coild sent prints to family. The pst card stock read "Carte Postale" and the back is split fpr "Correspondance" and Adresse". There is also a upside down horse shoe logomand star. This of course strongly suggests that the image is Italian. Most people would have their film delveloped where they lived, a strong indicator that this boy is Italian.

Chronology

We suspect that the photograph was taken about 1920. It is probably not the 1910s as long stockings were usually worn, except for Scouting. Kneesocks became more common in the 1910s and began to replace long stockings in the 1920s. There are, however, some aspects of his clothes that suggest that the image was taken before about 1925. These are the kneepants buttons at the hem of the shorts and the hightop shoes. The jacket has a hint of Norfolk styling which was still very populkar in the eraly 1920s. We would be interssted in any thoughts HBC readers might have on this image. None of our readers commented on the chronology suggested by HBC, namelyt that the photograph was probabaly taken about 1920. Here we believe that the late 1910s is possible or the eraly 20s. Our suggestion of 1920 is simply an approximation between these two possibilities.

Age

This boy looks to be about 16-17 years old. Again none of our readers commented on this assessment.

Created: March 13, 2003
Last updated: March 14, 2003