I "borrowed" these photos months ago. Now I am ashamed to say I can't remember where I found them because I can give no credit to whomever it is due. Most of these guys look pretty tough, don't they? I wonder what their mamas would say if they could see them smoking like this. Times change, but I'm not sure if people do.
Pretty young, those boys. Wow.
ReplyDeleteLook at those boys, they seem so grown up in some -a bit sad- way. It feels almost as if they are having a hard time. Or perhaps it is just the feeling black and white and old photos convey...
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this.;)
Huh. Those bad guys' pants are not hanging down. I didn't think you could be truly bad unless your boxers are showing.
ReplyDeleteI posed this very question this morning .. would a leopard change its spots? And if so to what?
ReplyDeleteThose stolen photos are wonderful .. and so very much of a 'time' .. I wonder if they were taken in the US or Europe
Daryl, they were taken in the US...I believe I remember they were from NY. I think I found them on the Library of Congress website. I wish I had made a notation. Check out the Library's archives. They have all kinds of photos. (but don't tell I borrowed them)
ReplyDeleteThe bottom one say Bowery on one of the windows, so if they're a set, they probably are newspaper boys. Caleb Carr wrote a couple of books about 19th century New York and these kids are featured in them.
ReplyDeleteI can imagine one of these as my dad as he said he started smoking very young to look tough. Weird now isn't it?
ReplyDeleteThose naughty boys. I think back then if the boys made enough money to buy their smokes not much was thought about it.
ReplyDeleteOh the things boys will do when mom isn't around!
ReplyDeleteI think those are Bowery boys in the early 1900's and probably the photos are not copyrighted so you shouldn't feel guilty Stevie!
ReplyDeleteSo many young boys were what they called "street urchins" in those days ...no parents...and lived by hook or crook. Did you ever hear the story about the "Orphan Train"? The founder of the Children's Aide Sorcery in NYC use to send these boys and also girls out by train to farms in the West to see if farmers who needed help on their farms would adopt them. I actually knew a man who was an orphan train boy, He passed away three years ago
steviewren, these are amazing photos! I'm the host of "Sepia Scenes" and I invite you to visit and also post if you like. Here's the link: Sepia Scenes
ReplyDeletewhat an amazing piece of social documentary photography...great finds! as pat said, they're probably out of copyright but this site provides some info re. reproducing found images - http://www.whatiscopyright.org/
ReplyDeleteOne of those smokin' boys looks like a young Bing Crosby... it's the ears. lol Great pics!
ReplyDelete...I love old photos and these are great....they do look like street urchins!
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