Figure 1.--The portrait of these American children is undated, but looks to have been taken in the late-1910s, perhaps wven the late 1910s. The fact that the long stockings are not black is helpful in the dateing. The tinting provides some useful color information. Note how the darker color has been used for the parts and detailing the blouse. The boys here look about 4-5 or 6 years old. Two colors were normally used for these suits. Note the neckwear here seems to be a third color. Of course tintined photographs sare not definitive information on color, but they do offer helpful clues.

The portrait of these American children is undated, but looks to have been taken in the late-1910s, perhaps wven the late 1910s. The fact that the long stockings are not black is helpful in the dateing. The tinting provides some useful color information. Note how the darker color has been used for the parts and detailing the blouse. The boys here look about 4-5 or 6 years old. Two colors were normally used for these suits. Note the neckwear here seems to be a third color. Of course tintined photographs sare not definitive information on color, but they do offer helpful clues. A reader writes, "About the colors here. You say in the caption that the long stockings are not black, but I think they are black although a bit faded looking in the colored photo. Black stockings often looked a bit like dark gray in old black and white photos, especially after frequent washings. But I think these boys are in black stockings. If the photo is 1819 (which seems a good guess to me), the available colors would be mainly black and white. I'm not saying that other shades wouldn't be available, of course, but black was the commonest color. They are just faded black, I think." HBC is not at all sure about this. Looking at the stockings they do not look at all worn to us, but rather new. And of course wear would go along wuith fadeing. And for a beautifullyn posed formal portrait like this, we doubt that mopther woild have pulled out an old faded pair of stockings. Notice how perfectlt the children's hair is combed and that there outfits are done up. We do think, however, that our reader is correct about the chronology of stocking color. Grey stockings we think would move the probavle date of the portrait from the 1910s to perhaps the early- or mid-1920s.

Created: 3:36 PM 6/12/2008
Last updated: 3:36 PM 6/12/2008