Top Hats - Sepia Saturday

This week's photo made me think of parties and then events where ladies get dressed up in their finery and the men wear top hats.

However the pair in my first photo don't look in the mood to party.

A veteran with his wife (1860s)

  (French Archives de la photographie 1840-1940)

He appears to be wearing a British Crimean War medal with bars - although it had previously been said that it shows an American Civil War (1861-1865) veteran, a dubious attribution. His wife is sporting a bonnet with ruffles, a paisley shawl and gloves.

The next pair are in party mode.

Cover of Puck magazine, 1916 Sep 9.

 (United States Library of Congress - Author Ralph Barton))

This photo was captioned:

                       "8:15 P.M.": Man, wearing top hat and tails, looking at extravagantly dressed woman, who is seated on floor with large cushions.

Gentlemen, if it's a cheap hat you want how about this? Not sure about the rest of the outfit though.

John Tenniel Illustration 1869 - Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

Back in 1932 no public opening was complete without ladies in hats, fine dresses and of course dignitaries in top hats.

Opening of the Grey Street Bridge, Brisbane 30 March 1932

Governor Goodwin and party walking across the Grey Street Bridge after its opening. Sir John and Lady Goodwin with Neil Campbell and his wife, walking over the Grey Street Bridge. The men are wearing morning dress, top hats and spats. Lady Goodwin and an unidentified woman are carrying bouquets.

The Grey Street Bridge was renamed the William Jolly Bridge in 1955 after William Jolly, the first Lord Mayor of Greater Brisbane.

For more jolly japes you need to pay a visit to Sepia Saturday 126

Sepia Saturday's Library

Despite the amount of time I spend in the local libraries and my love of books this is what I found.

Unknown Library (?) Art

However at the British Library some works need translation.

Miniature of the martyrdom of Thomas Becket, and the beginning of his suffrage, Book of Hours

(18 January 2012 Source British Library manuscripts blog)

For the interior of a library the years have moved on.

Library - 1842

Perhaps the linguists among my readers can translate the description: Source - Eberhard Gailer: Neuer orbis pictus für die Jugend oder Schauplatz der Natur, der Kunst und des Menschenlebens. 5. Auflage, Reutlingen, Joh. Conr. Mäcken jun., 1842.

The source for may photos shown on Sepia Saturday is often the Library of Congress so here's another from there.

Low Library Rotunda - Columbia University, New York City - 1900-1910

 Then there is this shot where a Pets for Therapy dog was the star. The venue's a library.

Luka, a Bernese Mountain Dog in Yarm Library

 For more bookish library posts pay a visit to Sepia Saturday 120