Figure 1.--The snapshot here is undated and we do not know what country it was from. We suspect that it may have been Germany in the 1930s, The stockings are a bit short for the 1940s. The boy here seems to be wearing a Leibchen with two garter straps--one for each leg. Notice that the clasp of the hose supporter is the traditional manufactured type (rubber button and wire loop) rather than the elastic strap with graduated button holes that attaches to a button (or Waschknopf) sewn onto the stocking top. The unidentified boy seems to be about 7-8 years old.

The snapshot here is undated and we do not know what country it was from. We suspect that it may have been Germany in the 1930s, The stockings are a bit short for the 1940s. The boy here seems to be wearing a Leibchen with two garter straps--one for each leg. Notice that the clasp of the hose supporter is the traditional manufactured type (rubber button and wire loop) rather than the elastic strap with graduated button holes that attaches to a button (or Waschknopf) sewn onto the stocking top. The unidentified boy seems to be about 7-8 years old.

Identity

The unidentified boy seems to be about 7-8 years old. He looks to be a middkle-class, urban child, perhaps on a picnic outing into the country. We would guess that while he seems to come from a family in reasonable circumstances, it was not a particularly affluent family. The suit jacket looks a little worn and the short pants do not match the jacket.

Location

We do not know where this family snashot was taken. We do not even know what country it was from. The clothing and the children, however, strongly suggest Germany to us.

Chronology

The snapshot here is undated. We suspect that it may have been taken in the 1930s, The stockings are a bit short for the 1940s. THe high-top shoes also look more like the 30s than the 40s.

Clothing

The snapshot here provides some interesting insights into German children's garments, we think in the 1930s.

Suit

The boy wears a dark single breasted suit jacket. The side view makes it difficult to tell much about it. He is not wearing the matching short pants, but rather shorts with a striped pattern that do not go with the jacket.

Stocking Supporter

The boy here seems to be wearing a Leibchen with two garter straps--one for each leg. Notice that the clasp of the hose supporter is the traditional manufactured type (rubber button and wire loop) rather than the elastic strap with graduated button holes that attaches to a button (or Waschknopf) sewn onto the stocking top. Note that the stocking supporters were held up by garters similar to those in the United States, but with only one clasp vs. Y style.

Long stockings

The snapshot here verifies that in Germany the length of the stocking was just over the length of the shorts so as shorts became briefer in the 1930s etc. the stockings were made longer. Here we have a boy climbing and his shorts pulled up as he held on to a tree and this fact became obvious. he stockings are commercial style stocking supporter rather than the hand-knitted and button sewn on the stocking style that was more common in the country. The ribbing on the stockings are very pronounced.

Created: 2:29 PM 2/14/2008
Last updated: 2:29 PM 2/14/2008