When was this photo likely taken

Question

I found this photo in an album started by my mother in about 2008.  Photo is not identified.  She was born in Florida in 1925.  She had 2 older brothers and one younger.  If these are her brothers, the photo would have to have been made in the 1930's.  Is the dress and composition consistent with those dates?

Answer 1

a link directly to the photo:

https://www.wikitree.com/photo/jpg/Albritton-368-1

Comments

I don't know about dating the photo - i would have thought it looks like an earlier time period than the 1930s.  But formal dress often harks back to an earlier time.

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Here is some info on 1930s fashions

https://screenarchive.brighton.ac.uk/portfolio/screen-search-fashion/1930s-fashion/1930s-childrens-wear/

https://www.familysearch.org/blog/en/1930s-fashion-women-men-clothing/

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I agree the boy’s wear would seem to predate the 30’s.  In addition, I believe my original speculation on the brothers is incorrect as there is an about 17 year span between the oldest and youngest of my mother's brothers and these three appear much closer in age.  I now question whether one of these boys might be her father, born in 1883.

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They for sure look like three brothers, with very similar features, and very handsome too.

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yes, the middle child's gender is puzzling to me.  The hair seems to indicate a boy, and the sleeve showing the cuff looks quite masculine...All three children seem to be about the same age.  A pair of twins and a cousin?

Answer 2

Looking through many boxes of old family photos I found that there were always an excess of photos from the 1920's and then almost none in the 1930s.  Folks had disposable income in the 20's and it dried up in the 30's.  I also noticed in the few photos I found from the 30's, faces were a little more glum, clothes looked a little older.  All of the "pretty" photos like this were from the 20's - and the early 30's.  I think I have seen some photos like this as late a 1930 or 1931 but buy 1932 and later, they usually dry up.  

I would say that this photo would be from the late 20's up to 1932.  Can you say the dates when these lads were born?

Answer 3

Tim, there was another photo dating question just a few days ago in G2G, which I answered with some links, so I'll give you the link to that thread:  https://www.wikitree.com/g2g/1312006/do-you-know-when-this-photo-was-taken

I agree with others who've said that your photo looks like it's from an earlier time than the 1930s.

Looking at my own family photo collection, I find that many people (not particularly prosperous people, as far as I know) already owned cameras before 1930, so in that decade snapshots were more common than formal portraits taken in a studio (as yours appears to be).

Answer 4

It is certainly plausible that the photo was taken in the 30's - though likely the early part. Wide collars were still in use, but the other two are quite modern looking: not the high collar type you would expect in the 1910s, say. Male fashions generally didn't (don't) change as much as women's so it can be difficult to judge.

Answer 5

Please have a look at this photo of my grandfather and great-uncle probably taken between 1890-1895. My grandfather was born in 1881. The clothes look similar to me, though these boys look cleaner and neater. My grandfather was growing up on a cattle ranch, so maybe a bit dustier.

Comments

That is a good photo to compare with. The clothes are similar. Even the background flower to the left is similar.

Answer 6

The suits on two of the boys look identical. (Except that one buttons the wrong way). Are there twins in the family?

Comments

Very interesting about buttoning the opposite way!  What would that be about?  Twins, with one left-handed?  Enlightened parents who were allowing the LH dominance???  Or a method of telling the twins apart??

Answer 7

Maybe the photo is quite a bit earlier.  After reviewing the sources mentioned by Julie, i noted a pic with the 3 buttons at the knee https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/3266ed40-2289-0132-cf76-58d385a7bbd0

It is from the 1870s section, although the citation seems to indicate 1870 to 1890..  

Also, the double-breasted jacket shows up in this picture of Prince Leopold taken in 1876 https://www.rct.uk/collection/search#/11/collection/2903079/prince-leopold-1876-in-portraits-of-royal-children-vol-21-1875-77