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We are not yet entirely sure about the chronology associated with top curls. In particular, we are not sure when the style first appeared. We do not know if boys had these curls in the early-19th century. We note these curls only in early photographic portraits at mid-century. The earliest example we note is in the 1840s. We do not know about the earlier decades because photography had not yet been developed. And photography is our major source of information. thus we are not sure just when these top curls first appeared. We note it from the earlies Daguerreotype portraits in the 1840s and 50s and throughout the rest of the 19th century. There are numerous examples from both the mid- and late-19th century. The appearance of CDVs in the 1860s provide us a far greater number of portraits than ever before. This we have more examoles of the top roll curls. A good example is Herbert Lockwood about 1867. The great popularity of ringlet curls in the late-19th century seems to have increased the popularity of these top curls and the age of the boys wearing them. We continue to see the style in the early 20th century, mostly before World War I (1914-18). We also note a few examples from the early 20th century.
We are not yet entirely sure about the chronology associated with top curls. In particular, we are not sure when the style first appeared. We do not know if boys had these curls in the early-19th century. We have not noted this style in painted portraits which until the 1840s and appearance of Daguerreotype portraits were our primary source of information. We do not know about the earlier decades because photography had not yet been developed. Photography is our major source of information. Thus we are not sure just when these top curls first appeared, but id thy existd in the 40s, it is very likely that this style exosted in the 1830s and even earlier.
We note these curls only in early photographic portraits at mid-century. The earliest photigraphic evudence example we note is th Dags during the 1840s. We have not yet archived an 1840s examole. This is a little tricky, however, because most Dags are undated and it is difficult differenting 1840s and 50s Dags. A good example is the unidentifid boy on our 1840s tunic page. We note another unidentified boy during the 1840s or 50s.
We are more confident about the dating Dags and other cased portraits to the 1850s. Both tin-types and Ambros appeared in the 1850s and thus can not be 1840s images. Ambros and cased tintypes can date to the early-60.
We note quite a number of these top roll hair styles in the 1850s. There are numerous examples from both the mid- and late-19th century. Unfortunately we have archived thousands of images, including cased poertaits, before we created this page. Overtime we hope to create the needed links. We have just one 1850s portrait at this time, but we think this was a fairly popular style for fashionable big city mothers. Another problem with the early pgotigrahic formats is tht the studios were rarely identified meabing we do not know where they were taken.
We see many boys with top curls in the 1860s. This may not be the sudden increase in the popularity of the style. The appearance of CDVs in the 1860s provide us a far greater number of portraits than ever before. Dags and Ambros increased the number of images over painted portraits, but it is the CDV tht created rally large numbers of images and are easier to date than Dags and tin-types. There were some cased portrits in the early-1860s, but the decade was dominared by the CDV from a very early point. Thus we have more examples of the top roll curls. This certainly was in part because of the huge increase in the number of CDV images. But the increasing prosperoty of Americanss a result of industrialization may also have been a factor. Families with more sisposable income meant mothers had more time am money for fashion both clothes and hir styling. We have organized quite a number of tyop curl images. A good example is Charles Carr. Another good example is Herbert Lockwood about 1867. We notice two Detroit brothers, we think in the late-1860s.
The great popularity of ringlet curls in the late-19th century especially with the Funtleroy craze of the 1880s-90s seems to have increased the popularity of these top curls and the age of the boys wearing them. Another Fauntlroy example is a Chicago boy.
We continue to see these top curls in the 1890s, mostly as part of the Fauntleroy Craze and ringlet curls. The boy here in 1898 is a good example (figure 1). Another example is Edwin Carter probably in the early-1890s. Note mother has curled the top, but not in one big curl. We note an Ohio boy weaing a Fauntleroy suit and top curl, we think in the 1890s. Another example is colorized portrait of an unidentifid boy wearing a sailor, Funtleroy, Norfolk combintion suit, we think in the 1890s. .
We continue to see the style in the early 20th century, mostly in the 1900s before World War I (1914-18). The boy on the previous page is a good example. Another good exmple is Lawrence Ray Gard in 1904. Another example is Arthur Bates. We are not sure about the year, but believe it was taken in the 1900s decade.
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