Tintype of Young Man

[Shotgun Steve]

Slightly trimmed 1/4 plate full length portrait tintype of an identified young man in a three piece suit (but no tie!) and tophat, posing amidst a "rocky" setting in a photographer's studio. Etched on the back of the plate is; "Jim Pidd / On The Boom". It's hard to say with certainty what "On The Boom" refers to. There are various explanations in the late 19th century from mining to railroading, but as the origin of this image is also Saginaw, Michigan, it can very well be a reference to the logging term. There's a touch of gilt added to his watch chain and the pinkie ring on his left hand. Some minor surface wear, else in near fine condition with good contrast. Uncased.

Saginaw is only a few miles from where I was born so I am going to say this young man had something to do with the logging industry also.

[Will Ketchum]

Not only no tie but no collar.  I always thought that one always wore a color with a suit in those days...again I am proved wrong

Will Ketchum

[River City John]

Might also come from whatever derivative gave us 'Boomtown' or doing a 'booming' business.

RCJ

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[Stillwater]

No, I think the inscription means "Log Boom." A log boom, was logs that were chained together, end to end, around a flotilla of logs, to keep the logs together when logs were floated to a saw mill.

There were men, with peeve's and pikes, on these booms, to keep the logs moving in the right direction.

Bill

[Forty Rod]

Timber beasts / lumberjacks (one word) were "on the boom" when they got paid and hit the "skid road" (later "skid row") for the nearest town.

[Stillwater]

Timber beasts / lumberjacks (one word) were "on the boom" when they got paid and hit the "skid road" (later "skid row") for the nearest town.

The first skid road was in Seattle, Washington. logs were skidded down the road and into Puget sound.

I think the street is now named Yesler way.

I found it:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Yesler

Bill

[Delmonico]

Not only no tie but no collar.  I always thought that one always wore a color with a suit in those days...again I am proved wrong

Will Ketchum

The shirt has a collar, but it's a banded colllar.  One then adds a dress collar if desired.  Come on Will, yer as bad as the greenhorns that come in for their first outfits.

BTW there were shirts with no collars, but the edge is rolled and then uses a running stich to finish it like a slilk bandanna.

Notice also the fly on the pants, the coat buttons and the shirt buttons are reversed like a tintype should be, but the vest is made wrong for a man's vest.