Figure 1.-- This American boy wears a double-breasted kneepants suit. The impage is undated, but we would guess was taken about 1900. The flowers on the table suggest that it was taken about Easter.

This American boy wears a double-breasted kneepants suit. Nitice the formal collar and white tie. Unfortunately the boy is unidentified and we have no information on this boy other than he is an American. The impage is undated, but we would guess was taken about 1900. It was a studio portrait. The flowers on the table suggest that it was taken about Easter. Presumably this was a new suit purchased for Easter.

Identity

Unfortunately the boy is unidentified and we have no information on this boy other than he is an American. He looks to be anout 11-12 years old. A reader thinks he might be 13.

Chrnology

The impage is undated, but we would guess was taken about 1900. It is difficult to be precise, but most likely it was taken some tome from 1895-1905. Perhaps our readers might have some insights.

Portrait

The photograph here is a studio portrait. The formal pose, inside location, and plain background clearly identify it as a studio portrait. Unfortunately we only have the image part and not the full portrait with the photographer's logo.

Easter

The flowers on the table and the floral sring on the boy's jacket suggest that it was taken about Easter. Presumably this was a new suit purchased for Easter. Easter of course was often a time for new Spring outfits that were worn to Easter services for the first time. Many parents that could afford it bought their children new outfits for Easter.

Clothing

This American boy wears a double-breasted kneepants suit. Notice the formal wing-tip collar and white tie. The suit jacket has flap pockets. The kneepants are well below the knee and worn with blacl long stockings and high-top shoes.

Jacket Buttoning

A reader asks, "I notice here, like some other portraits archived on HBC, the jacket buttoning up right over left. Is that authentic or has the photo image been reversed?" Here HBC can not be positive. This is a studio portrait and thus you woukd think it would have been printed correctly. It should be remembered that clothing conventions in the 19th century and even by the turn of the 20th century were not as established as is the case today. The portrait itself has no item such as a book that we could use as a reference as to the correct orientation. The only clue is that the boy's pose suggests that he is right handed which is is the orientation of most people. A reader writes, "The top pocket on the righthand side would indicate that the photograph was correctly orientated. I think that having a pocket here was well established by the end of the 19th Century."

Buttoning Conventions

There are well accepted buttoning conventions in modern clothes. There do not, however, appear to have been any standard conventions concerning the placement of buttons even as late as the early 19th Century. Two conventions have developed in modern times concerning the palcement of buttons. The first is a differing button placement for man and women. The widely accepted convention in clothing is that womens clothes button on the left and often at the front. The second is the palcement of buttons on the back of blouses and dresses for women and children. HBC has noted a varieety of explanations concening these conventions. We are not yet sure about the actual development, but we are collecting information and hope to eventually have a more definitive explanation.