Figure 1.-- This cabinet card portrait shows an Iowa boy at the turn of the 20th century. Hec lived in or near Osceola, Iowa. This was a small town in southern Iowa and shows how pervasive the Fauntleroy Craze was. We do not just see boys in the fashionable big cities done up in these elaborate outfits, but also boys in small towns thriughout the country. The boy here is Walter Moffett. We know nothing more about Walter. He looks to be about 7 years old. Walter wears an elaborate Fauntleroy outfit, but not the classic cut-away jacket. He has a lapel jacket, but worn open.

This cabinet card portrait shows an Iowa boy at the turn of the 20th century. He lived in or near Osceola, Iowa. This was a small town in southern Iowa and shows how pervasive the Fauntleroy Craze was. We do not just see boys in the fashionable big cities done up in these elaborate outfits, but also boys in small towns thriughout the country. The boy here is Walter Moffett. We know nothing more about Walter. He looks to be about 7 years old. Walter wears an elaborate Fauntleroy outfit, but not the classic cut-away jacket. He has a lapel jacket, but worn open. There is a pin on his lapel, perhaps an American flag pin. We are not sure. The Fauntleroy blouse he wears is unusual. It has a huge collar fringed with eyelet lace, extending well over his shoulders and large mathing wrist cuffs. At first glance there does not seem to be the front placket work commonly associated with Fauntleroy blouses. But if you look closely, there is some, difficult o see because it so much white. Along with the huge colar he has a relatively modest floppy bow. And he wears the standard knee pants and long stockings of the day. The portrait is undated, but the style of the mount, includinng the embossing suggests the late-1890s. The very early-1900s decade is possible, but the late-90s is more likely. The studio was Smith in Osceola, Iowa.

Created: 5:56 AM 6/25/2023
Last edited: 5:56 AM 6/25/2023