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We have found several early images of boys wearing kilt suits. We note a few in the 1850s amd many more in the 1860s. They are easy to identify because they differ than the standard kilt suits that we see by the 1870s. A good example is an unidentified boy, we think was photograhed in the very early-1860s. And along with his portraits, we have separate portraits of what seem to be well-to-do parents. They are tied together in a gorgeous four image cased set. Notice father's top hat. This is helpful because it goes to show thst kilt suits for boys were outfits for fashionable, if not well-to-do, at least middle-class families in comfortable circumstances. The photograophic record overstayes the importance of the kilt suit, largely because itv was the upper- and middle-class which could best afford to have their portraits taken. This is not to say that working-class families did not have portraits takem, but it was in smaller numbers. The boy was photographed with a drum set emulating a Civil War drummer boy. There were quite a number of child drummer boys, but not boys this young or boys from well-to-do families. The portrait is undated, but this is a valuable clue. Another image shows him without the drum, clearly showing his kilt suit. Notice the pants, perhaps knickers that he is wearing with his kilt suit. Other images show boys wearing pantalettes, this may hasve been the more common alternative.
Photographic cases were mostly for single images. This was by far the most important arrangement, one single image to be protected. The only other arrangement of great signifiucance was images on both sides of the opened case. This was the same size as a single image because the other side of a single image was velvet cushioning. The case was small enough that itould be eassily carried in a woman's purse or a man's pocket. And this became very common. There were other arrangements, but representing a very tiny portion of the cased photographs made in the mid-19th century. We have found two casses linked togher providing gthe ability to link four images. While we have archived hundreds of these cased portraits. This is the only example we have found so far of four cassed images linked together. Of course this created a case that could not be so easily carried. So the purpose was to link the imasges together more than ease of carrying. The portraots are tin-types which in tyhe 1850s abd very-early 1869s were cased, just kike Dags and Ambros.
We have found several early images of boys wearing kilt suits. We note a few in the 1850s amd many more in the 1860s. They are easy to identify because they differ than the standard kilt suits that we see by the 1870s. A good example is an unidentified boy, we think was photograhed in the very early-1860s. While it is not dated, we are fairly confident that it was tken in the early-60s. You do not see cassed photographa to any extent after the Civil War
Along with the boys portraits, we have separate portraits of his parents. He seems to be a precious single child. They look to us like well-to-do parents, if not wealthy certainly living in comfortable circumstances. The father in particular looks to a prosperous if ilfer father (figure 1). They certainly are not farmers, but a well established city family. America at the time was rapidly industrializing, and people who came from modest circumstabces were experiencing unprecedented improvements in living stsndards. This was certainly the case in the Northern states. The griwing industrial economy of the Northdern free states is gthe orincipal reason why the Borth won the Civil War. The family is tied together in the gorgeous four image cased set. Notice father's top hat. This is helpful because it goes to show thst kilt suits for boys were outfits for fashionable, if not well-to-do, at least middle-class families in comfortable circumstances.
The photographic record overstayes the importance of the kilt suit, largely because it was the upper- and middle-class which could best afford to have their portraits taken. This is not to say that working-class families did not have portraits take, but it was in smaller numbers meaning that there the photographic record over emohasized the clothes and stuyles of the middle- and upper-classes. .
The boy was photographed with a drum set emulating a Civil War drummer boy. In war wihout battle field communications little changed from the ancient world. Sound was still an important part of battlefiekld communications. There were quite a number of child drummer boys in the american Civil War, but most were teenagers. Boys this young and boys from well-to-do families were not Civil War drummer boys. Even their fathers could buy their way out of fighting the war. Drimmer boys were an importnt part of Civil War lore. The younger boys were all drummers. Even a pre-teen can create a lot of noise with a drum. The bugglers were all older teens and younf zdults--considerable lung volume was needed. boys being photographed were often posed with drums. The portrait is undated, but this obvuous Civil War reference is a valuable clue.
While few American boys in the 19th Century wore proper Scottish kilts with Highland regalia, many more boys wore the kilt suits that were popular in the late 19th Century. While Higland kilts were most popular with families that had Scottish conections, there does not seem to have been any relationship between kilt suits and Scotland. Mothers of many varied ethnic backgrounds chose klit suits for their boys. These suits were only worn by boys. The kilt suit was a very popular American style. The kilt suit became one of the most popular styles for younger boys in the late-19th century. It suited mothers who thought their sons were growing to old for dresses, but were not yet ready to breech them. They were popular with affluent amd middle-class families. Another image shows the boy without the drum, clearly showing his kilt suit. Notice the pants, perhaps knickers that he is wearing with his kilt suit. Other images show boys wearing pantalettes, this may hasve been the more common alternative. Kilt suits were a popular style for boys in the second half of the 19th century. In the 1870s we see kilt suits ior boys uop to about 6-8 years of ahe. By ghe 1890s this had declined to about 4-5 years of age. This can be followed in the HBC 19th century catalog pages.
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The boy is wearing an early kilt suit. Bright plidas as we see here were common with the early suits. The small collrs and white stockings were common in the 1860s. He looks to be about 5 years old. Notice the kiltsuit has a pocket with a hannky tucked into it. A HBC reader has provided detailed assessment of the boy's kilt suit. "I think it is worth noting that both images show the child in plaid kilt suits. And both plaid kilt suits have trousers visible beneath the skirt. I cannot tell if they are different because one image is tinted and the other appears not to be. However both images have a lapeless jacket with velvet or velveteen piping on the placket of the jacket to accent the curve of the jacket and on a diagonal on the sleeve by the cuff. The skirt which has a band top that appears to button to the shirt waist also has velvet accent a few inches above the skirt hem. The skirt also has a pocket which appears to be holding something white in the image of the boy with a drum. I cannot tell if the trousers also has a velveteen piping. The shirt appears to have pleats down the front and a small collar which appears to be pinned on but both are a guess. The shirt has starched cuffs to match the shirt front and are plain rather than ruffle or lace trimmed. I don’t think the boy has a boe but that too is a guess. In the image with the drum the boy is either wearing white stockings or his underwear is visible. In the image by the chair the boy appears to be wearing dark or plaid stockings. In both cases the boy is wearing high top shoes and I believe they are button on but that is a guess. In the drum image the boy wears a kind of pill box hat with center button and it probably has a chin strap but that is impossible to tell for sure from the image." We are not sure about the cap. It certainly as our reader suggests looks like a pillbox cap. Glengaries were more common. The boy is wearing pants with his kilt suit. This was not uncommon, but varied from family to family. They look to be knee pants and not pantalettes like many boys wore with kilts. It is difficult to make out the material. They may be a dark color with plaid trim.
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