Children in costume? Any ideas?

I have these two postcards bought in the UK, that came as part of a job-lot; they are a bit grubby but have always intrigued me. Firstly, they look like the same children/family to me, taken a couple of years apart... what do you think? The studio looks the same too. But it's the first (earliest) photo that interests me most because of a) the length of the boys hair, which is later cut, and b) the outfits they are wearing. Does anyone have any idea if the jewellery is significant?

The back of each just says 'postcard' and there's a space for writing... so no clues there :-/

Thanks!

 

I have no answers for you but want to express "how interesting" these photographs are!

 

Hi,
The first "latch" kids.. I do not think they are the same kids. The first set with long hair are wearing dresses which little boys do until age 5 but the little boy is wearing shorts so they are probably girls. The little baby in the first photo would not look that old in the second photo since the others did not age as much. These are just ramblings with no absolute answers.
greg

 

I don't know. It almost looks like the youngest children as they aged except the oldest boy isn't there and the boy in the center is younger, so maybe he wasn't around for the first picture.

 

I think the two in fancy costumes are boys based on their hair. Girls would have longer hair and it would be curled.

 

I was thinking the same (for the two in Shakespearean costume being boys) and for the same reason as Bev. No self-respecting mother of that period would have allowed a formal portrait of her girls with such hair.

 

I'm going to be a bit fanciful in my thinking -- perhaps the two matching pieces of jewelry are done in a "key to my heart" motif.

 

First picture, boy on the right has a bracelet. Did boys wear bracelets?

And good gosh, that hair. I don't know why it bothers me; it's not uneven or anything. I guess I just want to reach in and do a comb-over on them or something.

Very cool pictures. And very interesting apparel in the first pic.

 

look at the clenched fist, and the stare ....that's one unhappy kid !!

 

Looks like both he and his brother are giving someone off camera the evil eye - probably because they were forced to wear those sissy outfits!

 

I also think they are the same family taken about 2 years apart. 3 boys and 1 girl... girls hair would never be cut short and uneven like that! Look at the oldest boys left eye in both pics as well as the youngest boy, same brow and mouth. Middle boy's mouth,...I vote ...same siblings

 

I also vote siblings. The boys just got haircuts ! Maybe taken about 3 years apart.

 

I think they are the same family taken about 2 years or a little more apart.

I was trying to post a side by side of the two pictures for comparison, but wasn't successful.

The oldest boy's nose has the same turn up at the end. The second oldest's eyebrows have the same shape. The youngest boy has the same facial shape, forehead, ears.

First picture, two older boys in a play? school uniform? Obviously been reprimanded as both have attitude.

Did anyone notice that the background is exactly the same in both pictures, same chair, and same covered box that the youngest boy is sitting on?

Looks like the photographer gave them a talking to in the second picture as well, the youngest boy actually looks a little scared.

 

I'm with Book on this.
The face structures are vastly different on the two set of children.

 

I still think the chins are too different, as are the hairlines on the boys.
I donno.

 

Hi Book and Messi,
Thank goodness you both agree, I thought it was me.
greg