Figure 1.--This cabinet card portrait shows an unidentified Bournemouth boy wearing a fancy velvet suit, we think in the 1870s. We do not see any fanvy Fauntleroy items, in fact the collar and bow were very small. But note the elaborate detailing of the suit. These seems to be satin edging and decoration on the suit. The studio was E.G. Down in Bournemouth.

We see younger boys wearing a variety of fancy juvenile suits. We use this term for want of a better term at this time. Photography began with the Daguerreotype (1840s) and subsequently with the ambrotype (1850s) . Unfortunately we have fojnd very few examples of these early photographic types. We think these fancy suits were popular in the mid-19th century. Our assessment is limited because we have few photographic images from the 1840s-50s. We know much more about the 1860s-70s. We note quite a number of these suits during thus period. We pnly have significan information beginning with the appearance of the CDV (1860s). And we thus have detailed information beginning at that point. We see many fifferent styles of suits and varied decoration. This was especially common in the 19th century when styles were not as standadized as they became in the 20th century. There were no massproduced outfits. Younger boys suits were sewn in milanaries or at home. There was thus a great variety. The early suits were actually dancier and more elaborate than yje Fantleroy suits that appeared (mid-1880s). The Fauntleroy suits or seen as fancier because of the huge elaborate lace and rufflked collars. But the Fauntleroy suits themselves were very plain. It was the earlier juvenile suits that were more elborate.

Created: 6:25 AM 5/6/2017
Last updated: 6:25 AM 5/6/2017