#framed and mounted

vintagehandsomemen:

c. 1860s

What a wonderful picture - I have often noted sitters’ cheeks given a rosy blush with soft hand-tinting, but this is the only time I’ve ever seen a portrait with nipples delicately pinked!

My, how this faintly colourised photograph amuses me! While the cheery chap on the left shows veritable confidence, almost a satisfied pride, in his unashamed and extravagent fondness for his friend, the other gentleman (with most excellent hair) has an air of deadpan tolerance, with just the slightest hint of irritability. “Oh, must you? How tiresome.”

In an age when studio photographs were generally taken with a stern and stiff formality, it’s a joy to find such a lively and candid shot where the two smartly dressed gents appear to be taking it far less seriously - one looks on in amusement whilst his companion suffers from a fit of the giggles. I do love these decadent little gold frames, too, so very prettily over the top.

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 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.

I admit I am ever so fond of these intricately extravagantly decorated metal frames, designed to protect fragile daguerreotype photographs created in the 19th century - they are all the more appealing when the sitters are such handsome, affectionate fellows as these!

One of the most fantastically decorated mounts I’ve seen, I couldn’t resist this photograph of two smartly dressed chaps sharing a seat - they don’t appear overjoyed to have their picture taken, but then smiling for a portrait was not de rigeur in their day.

An utterly charming little signed photograph, one lighting his own cigarette from that held in the other’s hand - I wonder which was the ever sincere Ernest, perhaps the chap on the right as the writing is aligned to fill only his half of the print. James Craik was a prolific photographer in Kent from the 1870s on into the early 1900s, all known details and some more lovely examples of his work can be found here.

Seriousness and a detached gaze into the middle distance are the order of the day in this smart double portrait from the 1890s.

Various things cause me to feel instant fondness for these old portraits of affectionate men; sometimes it is the touching intimacy of the pose, sometimes the handsome faces, or poignant expressions; this time it is the hats, oh yes, those hats.

Affectionate gents around the turn of the last century, one bearing the usual glum expression, but the other a hint of a smile. I really ought to gather all the photographs featuring one fellow seated upon the lap of another, I have but a few tagged thus.

Torso, by F. Holland Day, 1906, a photograph I’ve shared before but never such a large and beautiful copy as this here, all the better to appreciate the noble model and sheer perfection of lighting! 

A lovely outdoor photograph from the turn of the last century, a refreshing change to see real trees and sunshine instead of a painted scenic backdrop!

Something infinitely more innocent, an early 20th Century from a photo studio I’ve featured before - spurning the comfortable seats these two instead prefer to louge in comfortable closeness, and very jolly hats!

Trimmed into an uncommon diamond shape, an early 20th Century portrait for two fond friends. Interesting, but I daresay a little difficult to frame at that angle; perhaps this one was kept instead on a study desk, or in a drawer of treasured posessions.

Three affectionate gentlemen, arms interlinked and hand-tinted pink to their cheeks, in a charming embossed paper mount. 

A tidy little metallic gold frame adds a dash of colour to this rather monochrome collection, although the fellow on the left is doing remarkably well to brighten things somewhat with his extremely flashy patterned waistcoat! The high collars and knot of the large neckties mark this out as earlier than many of the Victorian portraits we see surviving to this day, as well as adding that flamboyant dandyish look to the pair.

A touching affection between sitters is always a pleasant thing to behold, all the more so when you notice the quite remarkable intimacy of their pose, legs interlinked and a hand upon the knee.

tuesday-johnson:

ca. 1850’s, [daguerreotype portrait of two dandies smoking cigars]

viathe Daguerreian Society, Cindy Motzenbecker Collection