#vintage photograph

At times I’m awfully tempted to create a blog just for the appreciation of vintage men in extraordinary or wonderful hats. But I’m sure such a thing must exist already somewhere, so I shall just post occasional pictures in which the hats are especially noteworthy. This one also contains some affectionate gentlemen in fine uniforms, and a very pretty dog.

A lovely touch, the soft hand-tinted blush to their cheeks, and I do so like the edges of pictures like this, the damage and decay - some people trim images for neatness and edit out imperfections, but for me, the reality of well-worn and fragile pieces is half the appeal, physical things which have survived the decades and been somewhere all that time, a concept mostly lost in our age of creating only digital image files.

The Pool, by George Henry Seeley, January 1910

Basking lazily in the Mediterranean sun, two handsome young men photographed by Vincenzo Galdi. I believe that’s a lobster pot, perhaps these models were fishermen earning a little extra income by posing for photographs (or maybe Galdi just chose to place a prop there)

Is it just my imagination, or does the tanned young fellow on the right seem to be staring directly at a certain part of his companion? That’s no detached gaze into the middle distance, dear boy - whether it’s admiration or jealousy I cannot tell but that’s definitely where his attentions are focused!

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.

Unlike many of von Gloeden’s nudes posed together, where any faintly suggestive sexual undertones are subtly discreet and mostly in the eye of the beholder, this stunning photograph stands out as undoubtedly & gloriously homoerotic. A passionate, intimate embrace, one’s lips to the other’s cheek - is it a softly whispered sweet nothing, or a chaste kiss we can’t quite see?

Youth with Staff Shielding Eyes, by F. Holland Day, 1906. Curiously this picture seems to be found only in this shape, I’d be interested to see the entire photograph but as some other of Day’s work appears to be cut into unusual shapes, it’s possible the original was trimmed and we shall never know what this model’s elbows looked like!

Originally this post began with my wishing I knew where this amusing photograph with a wooden cutout donkey was taken - a supremely helpful reader has sent me the following information:

“The couple on the donkey are photographed in front of a backdrop of the Cliff House in San Francisco. This is the second building built in 1909. It has been renovated a number of times over the years. The original building was built in 1896 and burned down in 1907.”

It’s all well and good getting two chaps on one steed, till you want to get off again and there’s someone else in the way - in my experience, you both end up slipping down sideways in a terribly undignified and laughing tangle, tread on eachother’s feet or fall over, while the horse skitters a safe distance away giving you a very worried look. Never make it look so comedic in the films where the hero canters around prettily with his lady-love, do they - perhaps the secret is to only try it if one of you’s in a dress, heh

I’ve liked this photograph for a long while, gazing out across the water he seems almost unaware his picture is being taken, relaxed and at ease to be outdoors undressed.

Regrettably I don’t have the name of the photographer, only that it was a shot from 1906/07 - I appeal to you, good readers of discerning taste and extensive knowledge, if anyone knows the artist I will be glad to add that information here!

[edit : My gratitude to one of my well-informed followers, who tells us “The photograph was published in the 1906 volume of Photograms of the Year, where it’s titled Bather and credited to Dr. A. Wilhelmij.”] 

I’m sorry, sir - your deeply dark seductive come-to-bed eyes, whilst alluring in the extreme, cannot be taken at all seriously when you’re wearing that. One of Vincenzo Galdi’s most sexy and daring models, early 20th Century Rome.

Comically Inventive and Vaguely Homoerotic Ways to Share One Seat #2. Love how his feet hover just above the floor there, and the deadpan ‘this is perfectly ordinary’ expressions, in this studio shot from 1875.

Our regular dose of Carlo, lover of Robert Kitson and photographed by Vincenzo Galdi. I still have a few more from his photoshoot saved up ready to share, I do hope you dear readers not becoming bored seeing so many of the same model, but he is rather lovely so I shall continue until I run out of pictures!

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.

Edoardo with Vincenzo Galdi, photographed by Guglielmo Plüschow in the 1890’s, in a pose perfectly capturing homoerotic longing and lust - a desire satisfied in the tentative tender kiss found later in this set.

A lovely seaside scene in the backdrop for this affectionate pair, stopping to have their photograph taken together while visiting the coast, perhaps? A great many early photographers set up in seaside towns, the souvenir photograph being a fine luxury to take home from a trip, the scenery outside recreated in the studio to capture the atmosphere as best they can.

Once again I must appeal to my widespread and knowledgeable readers, to beg a translation for the handwritten message squeezed into the pale part of this 1907 postcard - all I know is that I very much like the model poised so elegantly atop this annotated block!

[edit] I was very quickly provided with exactly what I wished for, my thanks to the helpful gent who sent the following :
As far as I understand the inscription on your photo is in Bulgarian:
Андрей, Честитъ ти именъ день, за много години. Пожеа ваме Ви щастие и успехъ. Андрей, тази картичка е подобна на твоята, наято ми прати, за имениятъ ми день. Приеметъ поздравъ отъ ?Всички ни Пеша.
This card is send to a certain Andrej on his name day. The sender(s?) wish him happiness and success. They also say that the picture reminded them of him.

I always like to look up photographers’ names when they feature so prominently on cabinet cards. Mr Henry B. Herrington began his career in 1893 Minneapolis, worked from his address in Dexter, Minnesota from 1902 to 1904, then moved to nearby Hayfield and leased a gallery thereafter.
What these two chaps are looking at in their folded magazine must however remain a mystery - working together to complete a tricky crossword, perhaps?

This photograph from the end of the 19th century struck me as instantly familiar, and soon I realised why - it is in fact the rear view of a strapping young fellow we have seen facing the camera.

vintagemusclemen:

These two were actually described as lovers by historians, but I have unfortunately lost the copy of this image with their names.  Anyone?

I cannot help with the gentlemen’s names (do tell @vintagemusclemen if you happen to know!), but was delighted to see this photograph - though we’ve not seen their lovely dogs before, the chaps have graced these pages in two other outdoor portraits.

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!