Figure 25.--A HBC reader has forwardedus this image from a family album. We know nothing about it at this time. It appears to be a Dutch or Flemish family, probably taken about 1930. Here the younger child at the left looks to us to be a boy. Thus unlike some of the other photographs in this section, our question is not gender identification. Rather we do not know why the boy is wearing a skirt. We would understand it in Scotland, but it seems unusual for the Netherlands or Flanders. The family name be Kort. Notice how the little boy is holding on to the wonderful German shepard.

Many of the images in this web site have been acquired with out the important details on who the people are and where and when the photographs were taken. Often we are forced to deduce the date from the style rather than use the date to follow style trends. Some of you have forwarded information and asked if I have any insights. In the case of children in dresses it is often difficult to determine gender. Here are some difficult images I have encountered. Please let me know if you have any insights or thoughts.

Image 25

A HBC reader has forwardedus this image from a family album. We know nothing about it at this time. It appears to be a Dutch or Flemish family, probably taken about 1930. Here the younger child at the left looks to us to be a boy. Thus unlike some of the other photographs in this section, our question is not gender identification. Rather we do not know why the boy is wearing a skirt. We would understand it in Scotland, but it seems unusual for the Netherlands or Flanders. The family name be Kort. Notice how the little boy is holding on to the wonderful German shepard.

Figure 26.--This cabinet photo of child standing beside a bird house seems to be a girl, although we are not positive. It is interesting because the outfit is similar to a kilt suit tha was worn by boys. The portrait was taken at the Bliss Bros. studio, in Buffalo, New York." We are unsure about the date, probably the 1880s.

Image 26

This cabinet photo of child standing beside a bird house seems to be a girl, although we are not positive. It is interesting because of several aspects of the child's outfit. Note the small cutaway jacket. This is similar to the jacket worn with many Fauntleroy suits. We have noted girls with similar jackets, but normally worn over dresses rather than a blouse. One curious aspect here is that the blouse is not bloused at the waist, but just hangs down. We have not normally noticed this before. The outfit is similar to a kilt suit that was worn by boys. The skirt, however, has not kilt styling. Rather it is just a plain skirt. We have noticed boys wearing skirts as well as dresses, but have not noted a lot of such images in the photographic archive. The only prop to give us clues is the bird house. We have no isea why this prop was taken. We suspect, however, that props associated with birds suggests that the child is a girl. The portrait was taken at the Bliss Bros. studio, in Buffalo, New York." We are unsure about the date, probably the 1880s.

Figure 27.--The child here is unidentified. All we know for sure is that the portrait was taken by Edy Bros., 214 Dundas St., London, Ontario. We are unsure if the child is a boy or girl. Somehow the child's face does look liike a boy, but this is a indicator thatis difficult to judge with younger children. Of course most boys this age had been breeched, but not all. Unfortunately there are few clues in the portrait to help us identify the image.

Image 27

The child here is unidentified. All we know for sure is that the portrait was taken by Edy Bros., 214 Dundas St., London, Ontario. We are unsure if the child is a boy or girl. Somehow the child's face does look liike a boy, but this is a indicator thatis difficult to judge with younger children. Of course most boys this age had been breeched, but not all. Unfortunately there are few clues in the portrait to help us identify the image. Hats are sometimes useful indicator, but we are unsure what to make of the hat here. Notice the gloves. I'm not sure if there were differences between boys' and girls' gloves.

Figure 27.--This CDV of a child is unidentified. It is not clear if the child is a girl or boy. I suspect the child is a boy. One factor here is that the outfit the child is wearing is rather plain. But either a boy or girl could have worn it. The hair is very short, suggesting a boy, but the center part was commonly a girl's style. This CDV does have a photographer attribution "Harding and Smalley, Photographic Artists, Main St. Towanda, Penn."

Image 28

This CDV of a child is unidentified. We would say the age is 4-5 years old. It is not clear if the child is a girl or boy. I suspect the child is a boy. One factor here is that the outfit the child is wearing is rather plain. But either a boy or girl could have worn it. The hair is very short, suggesting a boy, but the center part was commonly a girl's style. This CDV does have a photographer attribution "Harding and Smalley, Photographic Artists, Main St. Towanda, Penn." The child is not identified nor is this CDV dated. The style of the clothing, and the very plain mount suggest a Civil War or just post Civil War date for this portrait. We would estimate that it was taken in the 1860s or very early 70s.