“Careful there, pal!”
This time I’ll have the RPPC after the cut.
1910s RPPC. Private Collection. Please do not copy.
What do you get out of this photograph?
Is the guy with the straight razor pretending to dry shave, or was he being cheeky pretending to do something a bit more drastic on his drinking pal? Of course, since I have a dark sense of humor the second scenario is how I see it. And the third guy in the back chewing on a cigar, acting like he’s going to stop him from doing the deed…His right hand’s thumb has a bandage on from what appears to be a cut, and the fellow holding the razor looks like he has a bloody thumb on the opposite hand. Are these two Blood Brothers or did they handle the razor a bit too carelessly?
And they seem to be dressed in evening wear. I’m willing to bet this was taken late in the evening after some kind of party, and these gents were having a last drink, spotted a straight razor and had an ensuing Edison bright idea.
Can you imagine these four (counting the one behind the camera) waking up the next day with the meanest of hangovers and cuts all over? “What the hell did we do last night?” And then the camera standing on the table begging to reveal its content…
And what in the world is the strange device on the bed?
RPPC info: AZO Four Up Triangles. 1907 -1914.
Bowlers And High Collars 
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