Figure 1.--This RPPC photo postcard RPPC is a studio portrait of two unidentified boys and an infant, perhaps their little sister. The portrait is not dated. It has, however, an AZO stampbox which along with the tunic stuit and knickers suit suggests the 1910s. Notice the age gradeing. The younger boy wear a dressy tunic suit, a style we have not seen much before. Note the novel belt buckle. He looks to be about 7-8 years of age. His older brother wears a a fairly standard double-breasted knickers suit. He looks to be about 13 years old. Both boys wear the standard long stockings and hightop shoes of the day.

This RPPC photo postcard is a studio portrait of two unidentified boys and an infant, perhaps their little sister. While a studio portrait, the set up looks to us like fairly basic studio. This is useful to determine because it hlps set the climtelke in perspective. The portrait is not dated. It has, however, an AZO stampbox which along with the tunic stuit and knickers suit suggests the 1910s. The tunic suit and plain double-breasted suit suggest that it was not the 1920s. AZO postcards appeared in the early 1900s, but knicker suits do not become standard common until the 1910s. Notice the age gradeing with the younger boy wearing a dressy tunic suit. We are not sure about the color, but tunic suits were sometimes done in bright colors. The style pf his tunic suit is one we have not seen much before. It has double-breasted styling with a V-front, but without sailor styling or suit lapels. As common with tunic suits, there is a dickey, in this case plin white dickey without embroidered design. Note the novel belt buckle. We have never seen that before. He looks to be about 7-8 years of age. His older brother wears a a fairly standard double-breasted knickers suit. He may have a bow tie, but unfortuntely we don'y haveaood view of the neckwear. His suit seems a fairly stndard style. Look at the slant pockets. The breast pocket has a reverse button flap. The older boy looks to be about 13 years old. Notice the ring he is wearing. The younger boy may have a pendant, but it is a little difficult to tell. Both boys wear the standard long stockings and hightop shoes of the day. Long stockings were almost universal at the time for children, especially dark stockings. They do not look to be black, but more like colors selected to match the boys' suits. Notice the styling of the shoes. They are high-tops, but the basic styling is much like the low-tops that e begin go see in the 1920s.

Studio Portrait

This RPPC photo postcard is a studio portrait of two unidentified boys and an infant, perhaps their little sister. While a studio portrait, the set up looks to us like fairly basic studio. This is useful to determine because it helps set the clientele in perspective. We would guess that the childen here came from a middle class family in comfortable circumstances, but by no means well to do.

AZO Postcards

The stampboxes on RPPC postcards are useful in dating postcards. AZO was one of the most important companies. We do not have a back image showing the stampbox which can help tighten the time frame.

Chronology

The portrait is not dated. It has, however, an AZO stampbox which along with the tunic stuit and knickers suit suggests the 1910s. The tunic suit and plain double-breasted suit suggest that it was not the 1920s. AZO postcards appeared in the early 1900s, but knicker suits do not become standard common until the 1910s. The style of the jacket does look like the 1900s or perhaps early 1910s to us. We see Norfolk suits beconing very popular in the 1910s.

Tunic Suit

Notice the age gradeing with the younger boy wearing a dressy tunic suit. We are not sure about the color, but tunic suits were sometimes done in bright colors. The style pf his tunic suit is one we have not seen much before. It has double-breasted styling with a V-front, but without sailor styling or suit lapels. As common with tunic suits, there is a dickey, in this case plin white dickey without embroidered design. Note the novel belt buckle. We have never seen that before. He looks to be about 7-8 years of age.

Double-Breasted Suit

His older brother wears a a fairly standard double-breasted knickers suit. He may have a bow tie, but unfortuntely we don't have a good view of the neckwear. His suit seems a fairly stndard style. Look at the slant pockets. The breast pocket has a reverse button flap. The older boy looks to be about 13 years old.

Jewelry

Notice the ring he is wearing. He wears it ob hus middle (second) finger, The convention of wearing rings on the third finger was not yet established. It is now such a form convention tht it is known as the ting finger. The younger boy may have a pendant, but it is a little difficult to tell.

Underwear

If you look closely at the two boys the younger boy appears to be wearing long underwear (notice the extra thick left leg (from viewer's side) and bent leg appears very thick just where shoe top is. Also he is wearing elastic bloomer style trousers. He wears a shield and the buttons on the elongated cuffs of the tunic appear that someone probably helped button them for him so the boy probably had someone help him get dressed. The older boy seems to be wearing knee length underwear as the ribbing shoes under the fine stockings he wears.

Stockings and Shoes

Both boys wear the standard long stockings and hightop shoes of the day. Long stockings were almost universal at the time for children, especially dark stockings. They do not look to be black, but more like colors selected to match the boys' suits. Black stockings were very common. And girls aswell as younger boys might wear white stocking. But we also see boys like the ones here waring colored stockings chosen to match the outfits. Notice the styling of the shoes. They are high-tops, but the basic styling is much like the low-tops that e begin go see in the 1920s.

Created: 7:03 PM 4/16/2013
Last updated: 7:03 PM 4/16/2013