#vintage bodybuilder

Not many of the old photographs I post here come with a contemporary caption built in; this one leaves me with little to add besides that is a very fine quiff, sir!

A further photograph of the magnificently muscular body builder Eugen Sandow, by Napoleon Sarony of New York. 

It has been an awfully long time since I shared a photograph of Ange Camilli, 1st prize winner in an early physical beauty contest (later to become the body building still with us today). Published - sadly all censored - as a set of postcards circa 1920, by Alfred Noyer of Paris.

Another magnificent shot of Ange Camilli, published as a postcard by Alfred Noyer in Paris, c.1920. I intend to collect the full set of these brilliant, brightly lit and lovely pictures, there are several more (you can see those already posted here).

The exquisite Ange Camilli, first prize winner of an early bodybuilding contest in France - probably c1920 from the quality of the photograph and style of his hair. Images from this glorious set are often incorrectly dated to 1863, because of the AN Paris 63 in the lower right - but this refers to publisher Alfred Noyer and his numbered registration of patent on the set.

Published around 1920 by Alfred Noyer of Paris, it is a great pity this set of postcards do not carry the name of this impressively-built gentleman who poses so dramatically - he must surely have been famous in his time, if any of you good readers recognise him, do let me know!

Early body-builder Otto Olympier proudly displays the astonishing muscle in his flexed arm, in this postcard from the 1910s. We’ve seen him pose (almost) nude to show off his phyisque before, here.

The impressively muscular Otto Olympier, his picture taken by an uncredited photographer and published as a postcard. Not intended to be sent home from a holiday as we mostly use them today, but for those who collected the cards as a hobby; images of strongmen and bodybuilders seem to have been a popular subject, judging by the amount which have survived to this day.

Wrestling at the beach

Mark Forest