#edwardian men

Often I’ve expressed a certain fondness for the funishings in Victorian and Edwardian studio portraits, the elegant carving and detailed wickerwork, a quirky eccentricity and old-fashioned appeal - things I’d dearly love to have in my own home.

Not this time.

Posing with what has to be the most singularly vile item of furniture I’ve ever laid eyes upon in a vintage photograph, two smart chaps from the early 20th Century - the fellow on the left has such lovely hair curling over his forehead.

raymondduncan:

jockohomo:

Photographer Unknown, Subjects Unknown, Photo Postcard, Gelatin Silver Print C. 1915

They cared about each other.

The anonymity and unknown origin of this picture makes it all the more poignant - once, to these men it meant something, now they’re both gone and only the photograph remains, separated from anyone who might’ve remembered them.

A truly adorable pair portrait here - I love the affectionate closeness of the pose, the hint of a soft smile on the fellow in the lighter jacket, the slight head-tilt of the other, and lovely button-up ankle boots I am coveting most terribly right now. Completely forgot I ever bookmarked this one, what a joy to find it waiting to be shared when I happened across it again.

A charming affectionate pair from 1904

I do so enjoy finding further photographs of people I’ve shared here before - this pair of jolly Edwardian cyclists might look familiar, here pretending they are indeed on an adventurous escapade and not posing in a studio with no noteworthy views whatsoever! 

A sweet submission from a reader - gratefully received, thankyou sir! Featuring some quite splendid neckties, especially that smashing patterned article on the right! I wonder what he’s holding, it looks too thin to be a book, a card or leaflet perhaps…I cannot curb my curiosity for lost details we shall never know!

[edit]What the..? It appears to say I have submitted this to myself, from my other Tumblr. I assure you that is not the case, and regret that I did not save the name of the kind gent who really sent it my way. 

A very nice pair portrait here - smart silk lapels on the fellow on the left (although to be fussy I’d like to tell him his necktie is askew), and the direct looks to camera makes you feel you can look right back at them and make eye contact across the years.

Or maybe I’m just delirious and imagining things because I’m suffering with a truly grotty fever right now.

Dapper chaps indeed, competing for who can wear their bowler at the most jaunty angle without losing it entirely.

Never wear a borrowed bowler hat three sizes too small for an evening out, dear readers - I had some hard-to-explain bruised stripes across my forehead for the better part of a week.

I just love the expression of the splendid young gent in the straw boater! The traces of an oval outline show this photograph was likely in a frame at some point, it’s sad to think of them now long separated from the people to whom they meant so much.

I say, what jolly dapper chaps these two fine young Edwardian fellows are! That wonderful tartan overcoat, an umbrella for a parasol (as it seems unlikely they’d be setting up for photography in inclement weather and actually using it to keep rain off), and surely everything is better with straw boaters!

This has such a spur-of-the-moment feel, as though they were seated perfectly sensibly side by side until the fellow on the left decided the photograph would be far better if he leant across his companion to end up on the right instead. I cannot help but agree, as it’s the sheer originality of pose which made me notice and share this shot.

These later, Edwardian era pictures have a charming laid-back feel, casual poses of informality and character, rather than the stiff and strictly arranged scenes of the previous generation - hands in pockets, relaxed stance, neat black bowler hat slightly askew, while his companion sits happy and prim, you can almost imagine the personalities of this dashing chap and his more shy friend.