Who Were They?

Liberty Bell 15

Mrs Marvel

April 1, 2014

Sullen boy

As we continue through the Liberty Bell album it appears the family and/or friends must have been located in the Massachusetts and New Hampshire area. Today we look at a sullen looking boy in skirts, so under the age of 5, and likely under the age of 4. He is probably upset because he is still in skirts! My understanding is that skirts were used on boys until 4 or 5 years of age. Initially they were used to facilitate diaper changes on small boys and toddlers. Later on, a boy’s first short pants were a sign of moving away from babyhood and on to boyhood. It was a big moment for a child.

This as-yet-unbreached boy was photographed some time in the 1890s by A. M. Bean of 295 Essex Street, Lawrence, MA.

Liberty Bell 14

Mrs Marvel

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March 27, 2014

Handsome young man with a tiny bow tie

The entire family must have visited Mr Tilton for their photographs, as here is yet another in the same matting with embossing and decorative flourishes. This fellow has the stereotypical hair parted and oiled flat to his head and a high, starched collar. But his bow tie is so tiny! It almost appears to be a decoration rather than a piece of his clothing. I do not know if this was a particular style, or if he just had a small bow tie.

This makes photo #7 by Tilton. To see all the images by Tilton, click on the category Tilton or the category W. P. Tilton Jr over on the right.

Liberty Bell 13

Mrs Marvel

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March 23, 2014

Puffy Hair & High Neck

I am guessing the style of the high necked blouses was intent on making a woman’s neck look long and graceful. I can’t imagine any other reason for women to bind up or otherwise accentuate their necks. Young women in particular were fond of this style, but older women might not have liked it if they had sagging chins or wrinkles. I imagine it would not be flattering on that type of a neck.

Here’s a puffy haired lady photographed once again by Tilton in Exeter, NH. Note that what looks like a scratch, wrinkle or scar on her face is actually a scratch on the image itself.

Liberty Bell 12

Mrs Marvel

1 comment

March 19, 2014

Quite a hat!

Here is another W. P. Tilton photograph from the Liberty Bell album. This hat is certainly quite a creation! The Edwardian hats were designed to counterbalance the rounded bosom and protruding derriere that were popular at the time. A good hat could draw the eye up toward the face of the wearer, while the clothing hinted at the charms hidden beneath. This particular lady is also wearing eyeglasses, a high necked blouse and appears to have a cravat style jabot beneath her bodice. It is a high fashion statement, to say the least! We have several photographs by Tilton of Exeter, NH. To view them all, click on the Tilton category to the right.

Liberty Bell 11

Mrs Marvel

2 comments

March 7, 2014

Lovely eyes with a high necked collar

Today we feature a fresh faced young woman with really lovely eyes. The way her hair is dressed combined with her soft face reminds me of a vintage china doll. Take a look at her blouse, too. The neck is made up of ruched fabric, probably a fine silk or silk/cotton blend. The rest of the blouse we can see appears to have cords stitched into the fabric as detail work. It probably also gave the blouse some structure. If the fabric was a lightweight, soft hand, the cords would give it just enough firmness to create the pigeon fronted look that was popular in Edwardian styles for women. Note that these features are also present on the previous two images made by the same photographer. They must be related in some way.

This photograph was made in the early 1900s by Tilton of Exeter, NH.

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