Postcards

Burlington Studios

1.

Photograph from Burlington Studios, Edinburgh.  When, approximatel might it have been taken?

©  Reproduced with acknowledgement to James Tworow,
Calgary, Alberta,  Canada

2.

Photograph from Burlington Studios, Edinburgh.  When, approximatel might it have been taken?

©  Reproduced with acknowledgement to James Tworow,  Calgary, Alberta, Canada

 

 

Question

Here are two postcard-size portraits sent tom me recently, with the question:  "When might the photographs have been taken?" 

My initial estimate was  "perhaps around the mid-1930s." but please see the replies below.  They suggest earlier dates.

If you have any knowledge of fashions in children's' clothes (and boots!) and can help to estimate the date when these photos were taken, please e-mail me.

Thank you to everybody for your replies below.

I have been unable to trace who now owns the copyright to Burlington Studio photographs.

Can anybody help me to answer this question?

 

Reply 1

Robert Pols' booklet, 'Dating Old Photographs' has tables describing fashions between 1840 and 1900.

The table for children's clothing shows sailor clothes for both boys and girls to have been in fashion from 1880 until 1900 or later - possibly much later based on the two photos above.

Peter Stubbs:  January 30, 2008

 

Reply 2

Thank you to Johan Liebenberg who wrote:

"I am not at all sure, but I am doing some historical research on Germany and from the time of Kaiser Wilhelm II in the late-nineteenth century, little boys especially were dressed in sailor suits to create awareness and patriotism for Germany rapidly expanding fleet.

In the UK it might have suggested a similar sentiment, promoting a pride in the navy?

I am really just guessing."

Johan Liebenberg, Cape Town, South Africa:  January 30, 2008

 Reply 3

Thank you to Phil Wilson, Aberdeen, Scotland, for sending me the comments and photograph below.

Phil wrote:

"Here's a photo of my grand-uncle David wearing a sailor suit taken, I think, by Morrison's.  He was born in 1911, and looks about 3 or 4 in this photo, so I guess it must have been taken about 1915."

Photograph of a boy in sailor's suit, taken around 1914-15, probably by Morrison's Studio, Edinburgh ©

(Please click on this image to enlarge it.)

Phil added:

"The Burlington photos are difficult to date (the magazine offers no clues, but they look to me to be slightly later, maybe 1920s.  That's pure speculation though."

Phil Wilson, Aberdeen, Scotland:  January 31, 2008

 

 Reply 4

Thank you to Jeanette Paterson, Australia, who wrote:

"I would date the clothes on your little sailor boy as around 1900 to 1918."

Photograph from Burlington Studios, Edinburgh.  When, approximatel might it have been taken? ©

Jeanette added:

"I've just been given an old photograph of a young couple with a baby which was found by a lady in an old box.  On the back is a paper which says the enlargement was done by Burlington Studios, Wertheim Buildings, Bourke Street, Melbourne, Australia.

My understanding is that the studios were at 294-296 Bourke Street, in what is now the Bourke Street Mall, from around 1903 onwards."

Jeanette Paterson, Australia:  November 16, 2008

 

 Reply 5

Thank you to Tuve Skånberg, Eldaregatan, Sweden, who wrote:

"The style is late 19th century, at least thirty years before the 1930s."

Jeanette Paterson, Australia:  November 16, 2008

Thank you Tuve.  In fact, as these are postcard portraits, I think they are likely to date from the early 20th century, rather than the late 19th century.

 

Burlington Studios

Studios       Portrait of a group         Portraits of a boy        Studio Addresses

 

 

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