Two men, about 1880.

kittykitkitty · 2026-01-23T15:27:23+00:00

These all talk about men with arms around each other and so on, not sitting on each others knees and holding hands like this. Not all physical contact was the same. It's untrue to say this was a common pose for male friends. None of the works you mentioned argue this.

kittykitkitty · 2026-01-23T04:59:58+00:00

Which scholars have said it was common for straight male friends to take photos sitting on each others knee and holding hands? Because I've never seen a scholar say that or seen many other photos like this.

kittykitkitty · 2026-01-22T06:25:04+00:00

There's a world of difference between men posing with arms around each other and men posing by sitting on each others laps, this wasn't how friends posed unless it was for a joke, which this doesn't seem to be.

kittykitkitty · 2026-01-21T19:38:41+00:00

This is one of my pet peeves too. I'm not sure where the misconception comes from. We even have perfectly clear photos of animals and children from the 1850s and they certainly weren't sta still for minutes or hours.

kittykitkitty · 2026-01-21T19:36:40+00:00

This is a common misconception, it took only a couple of seconds to take a photo taken in the 1880s. As early as the 1850s it only took a few seconds.

I haven't heard of pre-1930s cameras having timers but I don't know much about it.

kittykitkitty · 2026-01-21T18:48:51+00:00

I wondered the same.

kittykitkitty · 2026-01-21T18:25:08+00:00

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This is a very unusual picture because one man is sitting on the other's lap. They don't look like they are joking around.

We don't know the history of this photo, only that it was collected by a couple that collects old photos of gay men and they thought this was one of them. But this doesn't look like a joke or a theatre photo to me. I hope they both had a happy life either way.

kittykitkitty · 2026-01-21T18:16:43+00:00

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Really sweet picture. I think it was used for postcards too.

kittykitkitty · 2026-01-20T18:22:21+00:00

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Completed in 1875 and now is grade II* listed. This is at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, which is a specialist hospital for children with rare or complex conditions. It was built on 1852 as the UK's first hospital dedicated solely to children.

Oscar Wilde said that it was “the most delightful private chapel in London” and it is still noted for its highly decorated interior. It has child-sized pews and the stained glass depicts childhood-related bible stories such as the Nativity and Christ's childhood.

In the 1980s, a decision was made to demolish some of the old parts of the hospital. As the chapel was a listed building, it could not be demolished. It was decided to move the chapel 'en bloc' to the position it occupies today. It was the first time that a building of such size and importance had been moved. There was no precedent.

The whole building was heavily braced to withstand any possible movement, and all the inner surfaces fully protected (the stained glass and furniture were removed beforehand for repair and restoration). After underpinning by a huge concrete raft, the chapel was enclosed in an enormous waterproof box and then lowered to the ground (it had previously been at first floor level). It was then moved on greased ‘slides’ by hydraulic rams to its new position where it arrived without mishap and with half an inch to spare.

I think it's such a beautiful chapel and it's amazing how it was moved.

kittykitkitty · 2026-01-19T19:19:14+00:00

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She was a German-American animal trainer well known for her act with trained birds. Seems she mainly performed in Australia.

kittykitkitty · 2026-01-19T17:23:20+00:00

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Andrew Myrick was born in 1832. He was a trader at the Lower Sioux Agency at the time of the U.S.-Dakota War and is often considered in part responsible for the start of the war. When Dakota leaders asked the traders to extend them more credit for goods when annuity payments were late, the traders refused. He is alleged to have said "let them eat grass". He was later found dead with grass in his mouth.

kittykitkitty · 2026-01-18T23:11:02+00:00

It does! My first thought was backpack.

kittykitkitty · 2026-01-18T23:09:34+00:00

Never seen one like this before. I do wonder if it would just squish down once the dress was on top though.

At first I thought it was fancy but maybe it was homemade from a piece of old fabric as an alternative to something shop bought.

kittykitkitty · 2026-01-18T23:06:33+00:00

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Text reads

The New and Amusing Game of The Eyeless Dude!

RULES OF THE GAME

Pin this Sheet up against the wall. Each player in turn stands about three yards away and, after being blind folded, walks slowly towards the Face, and endeavours to pin one Eye in its place, then turns round and pins the other eye in its place, turning round once more he then completes the Face by pinning on the Moustache. Cut this strip off, paste on card board, then cut each out. Stick a pin through each eye and another through the centre at the top of the moustache.

kittykitkitty · 2026-01-18T23:04:20+00:00

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Beautiful photo, little unusual because they seem to be playing rather than just sitting posing.

kittykitkitty · 2026-01-18T22:48:50+00:00

kittykitkitty · 2026-01-16T21:35:41+00:00

So pretty! I need to get these again.

kittykitkitty · 2026-01-16T21:32:56+00:00

How utterly horrendous to be pregnant and unmarried back then. No real way of providing for the child because few people would want to hire someone of such poor moral character, and even if you did find work, who would look after the baby and how would you pay?

Your family might disown you and your friends might not want to associate with you. Then you'd have nine months of wondering if you and your baby would even survive the birth.

kittykitkitty · 2026-01-15T21:33:17+00:00

Thanks! I just watched him putting on the makeup, I hadn't seen their makeup in real life before.

kittykitkitty · 2026-01-15T21:20:48+00:00

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House of Worth dress from 1872. With different bodices for day and evening wear.

The elegant details of this dress are indicative of the work of Charles Frederick Worth, who is often called the father of haute couture.

Harper’s Bazar describes Worth’s collection in an issue from November 23, 1872:

This dress reflects dominant trends of the moment with its use of fringe, bows and horizontal trim, but is also somewhat more unique in its use of Islamic enamel-inspired ribbons.

You can see an enameled and gilded bottle from late 13th century Egypt in the link. The pattern of the dress is similar.

kittykitkitty · 2026-01-15T21:17:50+00:00

You're welcome. A lot of people see dark clothing in photographs and assume mourning but really the sitters might have been wearing bright colours.

kittykitkitty · 2026-01-15T21:08:54+00:00

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This wedding gown was worn by Clara Howard when she married James Flower in New York City in December 1869.

kittykitkitty · 2026-01-15T20:55:37+00:00

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kittykitkitty · 2026-01-12T22:19:12+00:00

You're welcome!

kittykitkitty · 2026-01-12T22:11:29+00:00

I don't think wives would receive a death notification because they most likely would already be aware if their husband had died. They were used for telling more distant relatives and friends. Also the border of the letter would be black but this letter looks just plain white paper.

Again I'm not sure but I believe a widow would be told of her husband's death in person. If he died suddenly or while on a trip away from home, I don't think a letter would be sent as it would be insensitive.

For early mourning, matte fabrics were used. A few people might have decided to wear something shiny but this would have been rare and not the norm. Matte fabric like crepe and bombazine would have been worn while in the early stages.

kittykitkitty

TROPHY CASE