PORTRAIT UNKNOWN SALVATION ARMY MAN

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1880 - 1891

Subcollections

Overview

Small sepia print mounted on board, showing an older man with a neat moustache wearing a Salvation Army uniform and cap, seated on a wicker or rattan lounge.
He is wearing dark trousers, a dark jacket over a jersey with Salvation Army lettering and a peaked cap with the words "The Salvation Army" visible on the band.
He is posed for the portrait, looking directly at the camera, in a studio with a printed canvas background.

Historical information

The date of the photograph is based on specific evolutionary details of the early Salvation Army uniform:
The Scarlet Jersey: The man is wearing a prominent high-necked knit jersey emblazoned with the words "Salvation Army". This distinctive red "guernsey" or jersey was introduced around 1880 as standard field attire for male Salvationists
The Regulation Cap: He is wearing a military-style visor cap with a wide band reading "The Salvation Army". Prior to 1891, male members frequently wore alternative personal headgear (such as pith helmets, top hats, or bowler hats) adorned with an Army band. Regularization of these strict peak caps across the entire organization was fully enforced by international headquarters in 1891, meaning photographs showing this transitional combination of the early jersey and formal military cap are most characteristic of the 1880s.
The Photographic Style: The sepia format, vignette background, and woven wicker posing chair are classic indicators of late-Victorian portrait photography.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-37-2007.28

Item type

Photographs

Material

Card

Photo Paper

Width

145 mm

Height or length

102 mm