Figure 1.--This tintype portrait shows an American boy wearing a sailor suit with a baseball bat. This is the earlies baseball image we have archived on HBC. Based on the sailor suit, we would estimate that the portrait was taken in the 1880s. Click on the image to see an enlargement and the actual color of the tintype. The image was darker than shown here as we want to bring out details in the clothing. We are not sure about just how dark the original tin-type was. |
This tintype portrait shows an American boy wearing a sailor suit with a baseball bat. This is the earliest baseball image we have archived on HBC. Based on the sailor suit, we would estimate that the portrait was taken in the 1880s. We do not believe this boy was at a baseball function. The bat looks like a prop. The portrait was almost certainly an inexpensive photograph taken at some sort of carnival or fair. This can be seen by the makeshift backgrounds. Tintypes were much less expensive than a proper studio portrait. We believe the portrait was probably taken in Kansas.
The identity of the boy shown here is unknown. He looks to be about 10 years old. The fact that he is barefoot makes it look that he comes from a poor family. Actually it was quite common forchildren to go barefoot at the time and it was not just poor families. The boy's sailor suit looks quite fashionable and is strong evidence that he came from a family in comfortable circumstances.
This tintype portrait shows an American boy wearing a sailor suit with a baseball bat. Tintypes became enormously popular in the United States during the Civil War and the 75 or so years following, they were used to depict every aspect of American
life. The most typical 19th century tintype was of course still the studio portrait. Tintypes were easier to make than Daguerreotypes or Ambrotypes, and the customer did not have to return for prints as with negative/positive processes. It was not the first instant process, but it was certainly the one more people could
afford. Being easier to make and less expensive opened the door for a new type of photographer.
The bat is clearly not the boy's bat that he played baseball with. It is much too large. Surely it must be a prop that the photographer had. Curiously, the bat seem to have some kind of center piece. I have never seen a baseball bat like this before.
This is the earliest baseball image we have archived on HBC. Like all early images the boys wear there own clothes and not baseball uniforms. Boys for many years did not even have baseball caps.
Based on the sailor suit, we would estimate that the portrait was taken in the 1880s. The tintype was popular over such a long period that it is does nor provide any useful chronological information. The sailor suit, however, is clearly one worn before the turn of the 20th century and we think very likely was taken in the 1880s. We would guess the early 1880s, but the late 1870s is also possible.
We do not believe this boy was at a baseball function. The bat looks like a prop. The portrait was almost certainly an inexpensive photograph taken at some sort of carnival or fair. This can be seen by the makeshift backgrounds. Tintypes were much less expensive than a proper studio portrait.
We believe the portrait was probably taken in Kansas. This is because the photograpg was obtained in a Kansas City estate sale. This is of course not definative proff that the portrait was taken in Kansas City. It does suggest the possibility that it was.
The boy here wears a sailor suit. At first glance it looks somewhat like a baseball uniform, especially the striped knickers, but this it not a baseball uniform. It is rather a stylish sailor suit. We would date it to the 1880s, but we are not at all positive about this. One thing that we are not sure about and would be interesting to know is the color of the sailor suit. Note that while the blouse and pants appear to match stylistically, the pants look to be a different color.
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