#affectionate men

A heartwarming scene of genuine smiles and earnest affection between two dapper fellows, in an era when most studio portraits favoured severe formality of pose and assuming an indifferent expression, it is a true delight to see a pair who enjoy the experience - and each other’s company - so much!

What an absolutely charming affectionate 1870s portrait, two lovely young men with their legs each crossed the same, and gentle hand resting on knee. I wish I could be certain of the names pencilled down the sides, Henry DalondandWilliam Lewis being my best guess; any suggestions to the contrary welcome! Both handsome chaps, Henry just a little the prettier to me, though I’m sure some of you may favour William.

A set of three studio portraits for this affectionate pair, photographed in the early years of the 20th century - it is always a pleasure to find the same faces in multiple shots; three even more unusual than two!

Unable to decide which of them ought take the single seat? Two well-dressed gents with bowler hats in hand, photographed in the 1880s. Another example of a picture which has been reversed in processing - their buttons are on the wrong side!

A charming 19th Century photograph of two well-dressed young chaps, unselfconsciously displaying their affection with easily interlinked arms. I wonder what their matching strong-handled bags contain - they look a great deal like that my grandfather used to transport his set of bowls to various village greens across the county!

Only the second gentleman in a light-coloured top hat to grace these pages (the first can be seen here), all the more eye-catching for the fact it appears to have met with some grievous accident and become permenantly somewhat crumpled! It does not seem to have disheartened the wearer, though, as he bears an adorably happy smile while he poses for a photograph with his dark-hatted friend.

gallimauphry:

Real photograph postcard of two identified young men in suits and bow-ties, one wearing a bowler and one with a straw hat, ca 1919. Watch fobs hang from their lapels. They sit in an elaborate scene of tree logs and climbing flowers. Back of postcard blank, printed: “Post Card, correspondence, name and address, place stamp here with CyKo logo”

Collection David Claudon, 2012

What else could I add which has not already been pointed out!

A fantastically decorated card mount for a studio picture of two serious fellows in 1870. Smiling for photographs did not become the norm until much later, leading to false assumptions that the Victorians were a rather glum and staid set of folk - I’m sure they looked much happier when they first saw the print of their picture together.

Tucked into glorious overblown gilded frame, a touching portrait of two handsome sailors from the late 19th Century, with subtly hand-tinted cheeks. It is a pity their hat bands bear no ship’s name as it is always fascinating to find out that bit more about the background to these isolates images of unknown men.
I’ve added a convenient tag for these splendid gold frames and other decorative mounts, gathered together here.

A distinct contrast to my previous post, this all sweet smiles and charming innocence! 

A delightful double portrait of two unknown gentlemen at the turn of the century. The good-looking fellow on the right - he of the delightful curls - looked familiar enough that I wondered if I had seen a picture of him before, but I realise it is only a passing resemblance to the quite memorably handsome chap in the darkest suit here.

tuesday-johnson:

ca. 1860-90s, [tintype portrait of a man sharing the last of his drink with the other]

viaCapitol Gallery, Ambrotypes & Tintypes

What an endearing scene, whether ‘tis the smile or the tilt of the head the fellow on the right looks so very sweetly grateful for the last drops of the drink they’ve shared, and I do like that pattern on the floor!

Though his pictures are not so explicit or provocative as Galdi who was to follow him into the photographic industry, Plüschow nevertheless incorporated a lot of homoeroticism into his work, aiming to provide something meaninful and beautiful to those gentlemen who preferred gentlemen - we see subtle looks of longing, and hands draped in lingering caress, which could be taken as simple platonic affection to those with a more innocent outlook.
It is worth noting the slight mishap along the left side of the taller fellow here - although exposure times were decreasing rapidly and by the 1890s poses did not have to be held for the intensely uncomfortable and impractical length of time many imagine, the images were still not created quite instantaneously, and we can see the double outline caused by a slight movement while the shutter was open.

And then there were three! I don’t usually include group photographs but how could I possibly leave out the second image, splitting it from the first with which it was created and then kept for so very long. These photos are so intriguing, I wonder what was the connection between the clearly affectionate sitters; why was the third man not included from the beginning; what words were exchanged there in the studio to convince him to join them before the final shot.

Following from a post so unusually serious, let us even out the mood with something entirely frivolous and amusing! This delightful photograph is one of the silliest, sweetest examples from this era that I’ve set eyes on - absolutely adorable, and impossible to look upon without a smile.

A lovely little pair of pictures of the same two chaps, and not the first time I’ve seen such indecision over whether to wear or to hold a hat!

It’s near-impossible not to smile when looking at this adorable photograph from 1910s America, an arm draped from each direction around the neck of the cheerful chap in the middle, and a tickle of his ear by the tip of a tongue at the precise moment the picture was taken!

Two handsome well-dressed chaps circa 1870, posing with the rather unconvincing plaster rocks which seem to have been a staple of every 19th century photographer’s studio.

An absolutely delightful picture from the late 19th century, isn’t this one of the very sweetest studio portraits yet seen!

A dear little double portrait from the turn of the last century. I wonder which of this affectionate pair kept the print safe and sound, never knowing just how many people might look on it and smile, a hundred years later - such a touching look back in time.