Figure 1.-- This 1/2 plate cased Ambrotype shows an unidentifued brother and sister. The studio was Isaac Rehn. It is an unhinged book style case. Isaac Rehn in Philadelphia was an important studio specializing in Ambrotypes. The boy here wearsa military-style collar-buttoning jacket. The portrait is undated, but was almost certainly taken about the mid- to late-1850s. (The frame patent was dated 1854.) Notice the girls arm bracelets. Notice the artisic backdrop, something you do not often see in Ambrotypes and Gaguerreotypes.

We do not have a complete chronology of these collar-buttoning jackets, but have begun to compile some basic information. They were not worn in th 18th century. We do not see them in period pakntings. We know little about the early-19th century. We see them very commonly in the mid-19th century, at least in America. We are not sure about Europe, in part because Daguerreotypes and other early photographic formats were not as common in Europe as in America. We are not sure about the 1830s, but know they were popular in the 1840s. The earliest examples have destinctive military styling. A good example is the jackets worn by the American Wallis brothers in 1852. The Philadelphia boy here is another good example (figure 1). The military-styled jackets with metal buttons was one of the most popular styles at the time. We continue seeing these jackets in the 1860s. We still see these jackers in the 1860s. The military-styled jackets were still worn, but were less common than in the 1850s. We see collar buttoning jackers in the 1870s without the military styling. There were a variety of styles. Norfolk styling was popular. There were also plain suits. We see boys wearing a variety of collar buttoning jackets in the 1880s. A good example is Charley Rosewater in 1881. Another example is Henry Hale in 1886. We note these collar buttoning jackets through the early-20th century, but not longer see them after World War I in the 1920s.

The 18th Century

We do not have a complete chronology of these collar-buttoning jackets, but have begun to compile some basic information. They were not worn in th 18th century. We do not see them in period paintings.

The 19th Century

We know little about the early-19th century. Skeleton suits were the popular styles, but we have found no indication of boys wearing collar buttoning jackets through the 1830s. Our information, however, is very limited. And it is possible hat collar-buttoning jackets appeared in the 1830s. We note the open-collared keleton suit evolving into a closed collar. And the collar buttining military tunics of the Napoleonic Wars also may have been a fashion influence. While we are not sure about the 1830s, we know that collar buttoning jackets were popular in the 1840s. It is not until the 1840s and the invention of photography that we have detailed information. We see collar-buttoning jackets very commonly in the mid-19th century, beginning in the 1840s. The earlist examples w have fond are the military-style collar-buttoming jackets. We have many examples from America. We are not sure about Europe, in part because Daguerreotypes and other early photographic formats were not as common in Europe as in America. We believe, however, that the style was also popular in Europe. It is in Europe that American styles mostly originated. The earliest examples have destinctive military styling. A good example is the jackets worn by the American Wallis brothers in 1852. The Philadelphia boy here is another good example (figure 1). The military-styled jackets with metal buttons was one of the most popular styles at the time. The Lathrop brothers are another good example in 1855. We continue seeing these jackets in the 1860s. We still see these jackers in the 1860s. The military-styled jackets were still worn, but were less common than in the 1850s. We see collar buttoning jackers in the 1870s without the military styling. There were a variety of styles. Norfolk styling was popular. There were also plain suits. We see boys wearing a variety of collar buttoning jackets in the 1880s. A good example is Charley Rosewater in 1881. Another example is Henry Hale in 1886.

The 20th Century

We note these collar buttoning jackets into the early-20th century, but not longer see them after World War I into the 1920s.