Featured A guess on timeframe for these 2 CdV photos?? Folks having fun!!

Hi Folks,
Picked up 50 old photos today and these 2 are quite different. These folks are relaxed and having quite a bit of fun. Guys dressed in the girls hats and the one guy in the middle seems to have a dress on , then the girls are dressed like the guys. The other photo is of the girls all dressed like the guys and drinking and living it up. Most of the old photos are so prim and proper , that these really seemed odd.
They are pretty faded so I darkened them a bit to help see the details.
What timeframe does the clothing and surroundings seem to point to?
Thanks in advance for any help.
Kevin.




2nd photo

 

Cross-dressing party?

 

Yep. Maybe the first one ever photographed.

 

I would imagine a fair amount of debauchery occurred that night.

If I had to guess, 1890s.

 

Thank you! That was some pretty crazy stuff for back then. I am sure their parents were so proud to see that picture. The studio was in Meadeville PA.

 

I'd think turn-of-the-century-ish. Can you post photograph of studio information?

Debora

 

Here ya go Debora.

 

Bet they were students at Allegheny College, which is located in Meadville. Women were admitted in 1870 which, I'd think, was well before your photographs. Given their antics, could very likely be Greeks. A quick search brings up Dowdell's dates as 1883-1906. 838 Market Street is a residence (and appears to have been quite a nice one.) The only date I can find association with H.E. Ellsworth is that he was photographing in 1895. He's not unknown so sure more information available on internet.

Debora

 

They are not CDVs (carte de visites). I would call them card-mounted photos. A CDV is a very specific type of card-mounted photo. FYI: http://www.phototree.com/id_cdv.htm

The card mount looks like early 20th century to me. (Could also be very late 1890s)

BTW, I have some similar pics and if I can find scans will post to this thread. This one is very nice!

 

I can't quickly find one of the very similar ones. And I may not have scanned them... currently my scanner is broken. Here is a real photo postcard, not quite the same. It does look like a costume party, though. I may have posted this one somewhere here before.

 

The women's hats look early 20th century, 1900-1910:
1900’s
In the early Edwardian period, hats were a fashion accessory, rather than a necessity. Most were kept fairly small, sitting on the top of the head atop a pile of hair. More masculine styles had begun to emerge during the 1890s, and some of these were still popular during this period. Women were seen wearing traditionally male styles such as the “Boater” or “Trilbys”. Bonnets had grown out of style, and women preferred hats that soared above the head, sometimes called “3 Story” or “Flower Pots”.




https://bygonetheatre.wordpress.com/2014/04/29/a-brief-history-of-womens-hats-1900-1960/

 

Thank you very much for the information.

 

Thank you very much for the information and links. This place is great. Always so many helpful folks here that don't mind sharing their knowledge.

 

Could it be a college theater group?

 

I have a few photos here somewhere where some of my relatives dressed up as the opposite sex.
I was told it was done for different Halloween parties.
I should say mine were taken many many years ago and are black and white, but not quite as old as your photos.
Fun photos, thanks for sharing.

 

@Kevin Meade , I subscribe to the "Interesting Picture of the Month" from the Graphics Atlas / Image Permanence Institute. Just got this month's email, and the information there is very relevant to your post! The current photo was just posted so should be available at this link for the next month or so. After that it will be in the slide show at the bottom of the screen.

http://www.graphicsatlas.org/pictureoftheweek/