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We have a collection of portraits of Austen Hoppin Fox (1877-1946). We don't have any family portraits, but several portraits of Austen over time. And we know a little about his family. It was a respected Quaker family with connections to important figures in American history. His father took a serious interest in public affairs. We have less informatin about Austen, but he would have grown up in New York City knowing important individuals at a time of great optimism that the American economy was becoming a major industrial nation. This collection of his portraits tell us a great deal about a well-to-do but not rich New York boy was dressed in the 1880s. We suspect it would have been a little differet had he been a few years younger when the Fauntleroy Craze broke out (1885). He never wiore Funtleroy suits, but we see him wearing knee pants into his teens, some that was not commin in the 1870s or even the early-80s. Of coursem, New York City was the cebnter of American fashion. Styles in New York took a while to work down into mid-America and into the hinterland.
This images came from a collection of photos related to Austen George Fox (1849-1937), a prominent lawyer, philanthropist, and descendent of an old Quaker family. He was educated at Rev. John O'Choule's School in Newport, Rhode Island, and later by Churchill's Military Academy in Sing Sing, New York. Fox graduated from Harvard University in 1869 and Harvard Law School in 1871, a member of the Zeta Psi Fraternity.
Fox was vice president of the New York City Bar Association, as well as a close friend of Elihu Root (a Secretary if State) and Joseph Choate (a prominate lawyer associated with many of the most famous litigations in American legal history and diplomat). Fox was a founding member of the Committee of Fifteen, chairman of the Committee of Nine, and chairman of the Anti-Imperialistic League. Fox was a member of the Saint Nicholas Society, a New York City organization of men descended from early inhabitants of the State of New York. He was a member of the Harvard Club of New York, the Harvard Union, the City Club of New York, the Century Association, the University Club, the Players' Club, the St Andrews Golf Club, and founder of the Moderation League of New York (as he opposed Prohibition). His wife, Alice Hoppin (1857-1933), inherited property in Wickford, Rhode Island, where she developed Cocumcussoc Farm.
Fox and Hoppin had three children: Austen Hoppin Fox (1877-1946), Henry Fox (1883-1884), and Alice Fox (1885-1971). Alice Fox later married Dr. John C. A. Gerster (1881-1974). Some photos in the collection also included their cousin Austen Fox Riggs, who founded the Austen Riggs Center in Stockbridge.
The portraits we have are of Fox and Hoppin's elest son, Austen. While we know about his father. We have almost no imformation about Austen. His younger brother died in infancy, but his little sister lived a long life. We have information about Austen's father, but we know next to nothing about Austen. We know would have grown up in New York City knowing important individuals at a time of great optimism that the American economy was becoming a major industrial nation. This collection of his portraits tell us a great deal about a well-to-do but not rich New York boy was dressed in the 1880s. We suspect it would have been a little different had he been a few years younger when the Fauntleroy Craze broke out (1885). He never wore Fauntleroy suits, but we see him wearing knee pants into his teens, something that was not common in the 1870s or even the early-80s. Of coursem, New York City was the center of American fashion. Styles in New York took a while to work down into mid-America and into the hinterland. The images here are undated, we have estimated the agescabnd dates based on Austen's appeaerance. We might be off a year or so. Let us know if you believe we are off.
Here we see Austen photograophed at about the same time as he was pictured with baby Alice (1886). We get no clue as to his headwear. A later image shows Scottuish Glengarys. He is wearing a collar buttoning Norfolk knee pants suit with an Eton collar. We get a better look than with the portrait with Alice. We can see under the Peter Pan collar that Austen is wearing a collar buttoning jacket that had a shirt-like collar and no lapels. This Norfolk suit had both the vertical pleats and a horizontal belt. Many early Norfolk suits were done without the belt which had no real purpose. He wears a detachable Peter Pan collar. The bow is very small in 1880s terms. The knee pants have the classic purely ornamental three buttons and the knee hem. Mother seems to have slected long stockings that marched the color of the suit. In the 1890s, black long stockings became increasingly popular.
We believe this is Austen Hoppin Fox and and his baby sister Alice (figure). A younger brother did not survive infancy. The portrait was probably taken in 1886. Austen would have been about 8 years old. We might have thought he was 7 years old, but we know when Alice and ASusten were birn was born, which gives us a clue as to Austen's age. Alice is ckearly not yet 1 year old. Given that this was durung the Fauntleroy era, his mother had a very restrained sence of fashion in an era of elabirate fashions. In particular note how small his bow is. At the time, boysd his age were wearing huge floppy bows. The studio was Rockwood in New York City.
Here we see Austen probably with his cousin Austen Fox Riggs. Aysten looks to be about 9 years old and his cousin who is about the same age, perhaps a year or so younger. We think the portrait was taken in 1888. The boys are wearing matching velvet suits. Usually it is brothers who were dressed alike. In this case it was cousins. The two families must have been very close. Even the ribbon bows were identical. The suits are double breasted with high set lapels. The jackets are done with piping. Even the flap pockets have pipung. As with other outfits, mother selected a detacjable collasr, in this case an Eton collar. The boys are holding matching Glengarry bonnets which the mothers wanted included in the portrait. The boys even have identical bang hair cuts.
Here we have another look at Austin. Not notation as to the date. We would guess that he was about 11 years ols which would mean that the potreait was taken about 1890. We are only going on how he looked. His Norfolk knee pants suit suit looks unchaged from the erlier portraits looking back to 1886. Faunrldroy suits may have made the fashion headlines, but Norfolk suits were aslso very popular. Mother chose both Eton and Peter Pan collars, in this case a Peter Pan collar. The floppy bow is only slightly larger than in 1886, and still a solid pattern. We have no idea about the color. It is clearly not black or we think a flasy red. It is a light color, perhaps a blue. Notice the hndkerchief. Interesting thast mother did not remove it. Mother clearly strictly oversaw these portraits to ensure that every aspect was absolutly perfect. As well as a very taklented photographer being involved. Again the long stockings were a color matching the suit. And we get to see his headwear. Only the way he is holding it, we have no idea just what style it was or even if it was a cap or hat.
This is a head and shoulder portrait of Austen. So we don;t seem much of his suit. Like the other cabinet cards, there is no date or age information. He looks a little older than in the previous portrait. So we are guessing that he is about 12 years old and the portrait was taken about 1889. We don't see much of the suit jacket, but it looks like a Norfolk jacket. It looks like a Norfolk jacket which as far aswe can tell was his standard wear throughout his school years. This of course was througout the Fauntleroy era. We don't see him wearing not only a Fauntleroy suit or even the popular Fauntleroy items. The one exception was a floopy bow. Generally they were rather small. This one was much more like the larger bows the boys were wearing. He also has a detachable collar. Mother seems tio have oprefeered Peter Pan collars, but wec seen hde also wore Eton collars. It is often difficult to tell in period portraits because the floppy bows often covered up the collar, but Austen's bows tended to be modest and here even though his bow is larger than he usually wore, we can see he is wearing a rounded Peter Pan collar. .
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