Ribbons, medals and a parasol

Close up of tintype. Four wearing ribbons and medals. Private collection.

These four are definitely Americans wearing ribbons on the chest. One has the two crossed flags with an eagle at the bottom. The other ribbon reads I was sober when I came. :) Two of these gentlemen also wear a medal next to the ribbons. I think this was an electoral or semi formal military event, and the three in light clothes are wearing military uniforms with the black tie tucked in. One’s wearing a fancy black ribbon bowtie I’ve also seen worn with uniforms but seems to have been less common. They’re all wearing the same hat too.

The gent to the back right chose to wear a civilian suit with pins on the lapel, but he looks to have a uniform shirt and tie on under the coat. Maybe this event wasn’t formal enough to require a strict dress code. Interesting too that one of them is wearing a double buckle belt (maybe only interesting to me but worth mentioning…)

The chinese parasol made me laugh; it adds a soft, even humorous touch to this group portrait.

I think this was taken in the 1900s. Finding out what event the ribbon with the flags was for would help date this picture more accurately.

Tintype in mat with flap.