Portrait of Two Young Children — Kinney Studio, Gary, Indiana

Photograph

-

The Recorded Image Project

Name/Title

Portrait of Two Young Children — Kinney Studio, Gary, Indiana

Entry/Object ID

RE-PH-2026-0093

Description

Studio portrait of two young children seated together on an upholstered studio chair, photographed by Kinney Studio of Gary, Indiana. The older child wears a large ribbon bow and lace dress typical of early twentieth-century children's fashion.

Photograph Details

Type of Photograph

Gelatin Print - silver bromide

Category

child, baby

Made/Created

Studio

Zivney

Date made

circa 1908 - circa 1916

Place

State/Province

Indiana

Continent

North America

Notes

Studio Location Gary, Indiana, United States Studio imprint visible in lower left corner: “Zinney 439 Broadway Gary, Ind.” Gary, Indiana was founded in 1906, which helps confirm that the photograph must date after that year. Subject Description The photograph depicts two young children, likely siblings. Older child Approximately 4–6 years old Wearing a large ribbon hair bow Short bobbed haircut with bangs White dress with lace trim White stockings and dark shoes Younger child Approximately 10–18 months old Wearing a long infant gown or dress Seated beside the older child Supported on an upholstered studio chair The older child appears to hold or steady the younger sibling, a common pose in early twentieth-century children's portrait photography. Clothing & Dating Analysis Several stylistic elements suggest an early 1910s date. Dating indicators Large hair ribbon bow Very popular for young girls between 1905 and 1915. Short child bob haircut Common for young children in the 1910s. White lace children's dresses Typical for formal portrait photography during the Edwardian and early wartime period. High button boots / stockings Standard children's footwear of the era. Together these features suggest a date approximately 1910–1915. The oversized hair bow worn by the older child is sometimes called a “butterfly bow”, which was especially popular in children's fashion between 1905 and 1914. Collectors and photo historians often use these bows as very reliable dating clues.

Ethnography

Notes

Studio portraits of children were widely commissioned by families in the early twentieth century to document childhood and preserve images of siblings together. Photographers often posed children on upholstered studio furniture to create a composed yet natural appearance. Large ribbon hair bows were a hallmark of girls’ fashion during the Edwardian era and were frequently used for formal photographs. White dresses were also commonly chosen for children's portraits because they photographed well and conveyed innocence and formality. The studio address printed on the photograph indicates that the portrait was produced by Kinney Studio in Gary, Indiana. Gary was a rapidly growing industrial city during the early twentieth century, founded in 1906 by the United States Steel Corporation. As the city expanded, portrait studios like Kinney served the growing population by producing family and children's photographs.

Condition

Overall Condition

Good

Date Examined

Mar 3, 2026

Notes

Minor mount wear at corners Slight tonal aging Light vertical exposure streaking from scanning or print aging Image remains clear and stable

General Notes

Note Type

Description

Note

This studio portrait depicts two young children seated together on an upholstered chair, photographed by Kinney Studio of Gary, Indiana in the early twentieth century. The older child wears a large ribbon hair bow and lace-trimmed dress, while the younger sibling sits beside them in a traditional infant gown. The photograph was produced using the gelatin silver bromide printing process and bears the studio imprint “Kinney, 439 Broadway, Gary, Ind.” Gary was founded in 1906 as a company town for the United States Steel Corporation, and portrait studios such as Kinney quickly emerged to serve the rapidly expanding population. Portraits of siblings were a common subject for early twentieth-century photographers, allowing families to commemorate childhood and preserve likenesses for future generations. The clothing and hairstyle visible in this image suggest a date around 1910–1915, during the late Edwardian period.

Create Date

March 4, 2026