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This portrait looks like a large size cabinet card that has been cut down, but we can't be sure. And we are also not entirely sure about the date, but believe it was probably the late-1890s. The early-1900s decade is possible, but we think less likely. Kilt suits rapidly went out of style after the turn-of-the 20th century. It is a studio portrait with a boy posed on a large tricycle. The boy is weang a classic kilt suit, cut very long. We are not sure if this was a stylistic decision or if mother expected him to wear it for some time and grow into it. He has an Eton collar and a military-styled peaked cap. We are not sure what the proper name for this cap was. We see this cap being worn with various outfits, including kilt suits and Fauntleroy suits, but it was not one of the more common types. He also seems to be wearing a floppy bow, but irv us difficult to make out. The boy looks to be about 4 year old, but all we know for sure because of the inscription on the back is his name -- Harry Preston Houston. Also written on the back is Jamestown, New York, a town in northern New York state. The writing is in in the hand of a child, presumably Harry himself. It looks to have been written just a few years after the photograph was taken. The portrait suggests he was playing in his suit. It should be remembered that is a studio set meant to suuggest he lived on an impressive estate, not an actual play scene. In fact, Harry could not have actually ridden that tricycle. Notice how the front wheel of the trike rubs against the kilt skirt. The trike of course belongs to the studio. A middle-class family is more likely and Harry may or may not have even had a trike. Trikes and bikes were a fairly expensive item at the time. And we suspect he would have been dressed more casually for play.
A HBC reader has provided a more detailed assessment of Harry's outfit, "It is hard to determine the age of the boy, I would guess 4 years old as you did. Also, the background appears to be a studio as you thought and the tricycle appears to be a prop as you stated. Because the boy's leg is bent, the skirt of the kilt may seem longer on him that it actually was when he was standing. In addition, the outfit has a vest and lapel jacket. Notice the jacket seems to come to a point in the back or it was designed to be longer in the front and the back. Also it appears to have been designed to be worn with the jacket unbuttoned to show off the vest. I cannot tell if the jacket has lapels or not, but I suspect it does not. I also think the hat resembles one worn for horseback riding at the time. That may have been a fashion decision rather than an actual riding hat. The hat appears to be black velvet which would mean the jacket and vest are some other color. Notice that the kilt has some sort of plaid weave to it. Also he is wearing a floppy bow but not an overly large one; that may help to date the image. His jacket has two buttons on the cuff sleeves and matching ones on the vest. The vest and jacket definitely go together, but I am not certain about the kilt. We can see a sleeve showing under the jacket that appears to go with the Eton styled collar but that may not be true. Also, his shoes button on and appear to be black but not patent leather. "
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