My Bonnie lies over the ocean . . .

Axel Schroder, ca 1890s

Here are some sailor uniforms from about the 1890s. I thought it was interesting to compare the similarities and differences in the uniforms. Axel Schroder is wearing a United States merchant marine uniform with the rank of bosun. The original photograph was tinted and then covered with a thin glass that has cracked in the intervening years hence the strange lines across the picture. I’m not sure if it was dropped or just deteriorated over time. The US uniform has a white cord that goes around and under the collar then into the left breast pocket. The undershirt looks like it is a warm dark colored sweater. Axel had several friends who were sailors and I suppose that these were among his friends but no names are written on the reverse making it impossible to tell for sure whom they might be.

United States sailor, ca 1890s

Swedish sailor, ca 1890s

This one is interesting mainly because it shows the entire uniform and not just the top half. Notice that he is posed with an anchor and in front of a painted sea scene. The photo was taken in Karlskrona a southern seaport city in Sweden. The top of this uniform looks much the same for all these outfits but the undershirt on the Swedish version has a dark stripe around the neck the rest of the shirt is plain white. All of them with the exception of the small boy’s sailor suit have some sort of neckerchief or tie.

Swedish sailor, ca 1890s
Might be L.R. Swanson

Also taken in Karlskrona this picture shows the top of the Swedish uniform. I think the white blob on his left breast is a defect or tear in the picture itself and not part of the suit. This may be a picture of L.R. Swanson who later married Gunie Osmund.

The Norwegian uniform once again has a similar top but the undershirt is striped.

Norwegian sailor uniform, 1890s

And here we also have a full version of the Norwegian uniform, ca 1890s

Norwegian sailor uniform, ca 1890s

It was popular to pose little boys in sailor suits as well and we finish with this charming photograph showing a small boy standing in a boat holding an oar.

Small boy in sailor suit, ca 1890