1890s to 1920s. Photo Archive of Women's Sports

Archive of 10 silver gelatin photos of various international women's sports from the late 1890s to the 1920s. The sports included are mountaineering, croquet, bicycling, club swinging, and horseback riding. Photos measure between 2" x 3" and 3.5" x 5.5". The late 19th century began a rapid emergence of women in sports as prior they were thought to be physically too weak to play.While wealthy women partook in more leisurely sports in private clubs or at home, it wasn't until the 1920s where women were deemed capable of playing in competitive sports. One original photo postcard shows a large group of women in early 1900s attire with their croquet mallets (truncated) and wickets, with the text beneath in French, implying the team is of a women's school in Chartes. Two sepia photos depict women in early 1900s blouses, skirts, and straw hats riding atop bicycles. One of the photos shows three at the starting line of a racing track, an audience of men and women stand behind. Two smaller photos show a line of women in early 1920s dress with what looks like a sort of Scandinavian flag with a Nordic cross in the background. One photo shows them at the starting line and the second shows them running in competition. Two photos show female mountaineers, one in late 1800s or very early 1900s attire posed professionally with a backpack and ice pick swung over her shoulder. A written inscription en recto "Rõõmsaid Nelipühi!" meaning "Happy Pentecost!" in Estonian. Another shot shows a woman mid-climb looking down upon the photographer while holding onto the cliffside. An earlier cabinet card from the late 1800s shows two women and a man standing next to tall white horse with a little girl sat atop. A more unique photo from the early 1900s shows a portrait of a woman with two clubs in hand for a less popular sport which later was added to the Olympic games called club swinging. The last photo depicts a girl in what can be assumed as basketball attire of the early 1920s due to her "basketball bloomers" and headpiece typical of the sport during the 1920s. This archive celebrates the achievement of women in what are considered physically laborious activities breaking the intrinsic biases of the era. Some photos have minor wear to edges and corners, overall they are in very good condition with images being crisp and clear. (Inventory #: 18515)