I recently stumbled onto these amazing mugshots of Australian inmates of all kinds. Whores, gangsters, fraudsters, and crooks of every kind circa 1920. The quality that these were restored to is nothing short of astounding, capturing every detail and quirk of each prisoner. With names like Silent Tom, De Gracy and Montague, this is a fascinating look into the criminal world of yesteryear. 17 more mugshots after the jump!
3/28/11 UPDATE: Thanks for the anonymous tip, here is the source.
The A. Ladewig one is brilliant. I don't think I could've posed a subject for such a terrific portrait shot.
ReplyDeleteI agree, its kind of introspective. The weird thing about this series is how many different angles were used. Its as if the inmate photographer was taking creative liberties
ReplyDeleteVery Very cool find. I showed my friends and they enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteMaybe include a link to the article that inspired you to post this?
ReplyDelete@Anonymous Yeah, or maybe they just didn't have a standard way of taking photographs back then....i figure they used their own discretion depending on how each individual was.
ReplyDeleteA David Lynch photo would fit right in here.
ReplyDeleteThese were found floating on an image hosting service. If you have a link to an article, we'd love to link back Nick.
ReplyDeleteWow, Cahill looks just like Anthony Hopkins.
ReplyDeletemurray and crighton both get hair wins
ReplyDeletePretty sure De Gracy is a zombie.
ReplyDeleteAll of them: Like a boss
ReplyDeletesource?
ReplyDeleteWe've been searching for a source, but so far we've turned up nothing.
ReplyDeletethis is the source
ReplyDeletehttp://scan.net.au/scan/journal/print.php?journal_id=67&j_id=6
You can use TinEye to find websites that have this image on them (like using Google Image search and instead of typing in a term, you input an image).
ReplyDeleteThat's what I used to find other places with them.
http://www.tineye.com/
Oops, looks like this is the true source:
ReplyDeletehttp://collection.hht.net.au/firsthhtpictures/resbyfield.jsp?term=New+South+Wales.+Police+Dept.+&field=AUTHOR&searchtable=&displayFormat=TABLE
The Historic Houses Trust put on an exhibition at the Justice and Police Museum in Sydney a few years back. I believe these are the images that were included - it was curated by Peter Doyle. Here's a link: http://www.hht.net.au/discover/highlights/insites/city_of_shadows
ReplyDeleteThey're compelling aren't tehy.
#13 looks like Ellen Degeneres.
ReplyDelete#7, W.Cahill looks like Anthony Hopkins
ReplyDeleteThese are amazing mugshots. Some of them look like gang bosses from the old times.
ReplyDeleteThese men dressed impeccably; whole lot better than the way men dress now that's for sure.
ReplyDeletei wish i knew what crimes they committed...some of them are quite attractive.
ReplyDeleteThey are available in a book called : City of Shadows. Not sure who the publisher is...
ReplyDeleteF Murray should have been studied by hair loss companies.
ReplyDeleteThey are available in a book called: City of Shadows - Sydney Police photographs 1912 - 1948. By Peter Doyle and Caleb Williams. Published by the Historic Houses trust of New South Wales. 2005. Reprinted 2006. Hope that helps... its an amazing source for any Art Directors / Historical researchers etc...
ReplyDeletethe reason for the bizzare use of angles is that photographs were a little more rare in those days, and it wasnt as if you could just pop down the shops and pick up a nikon digimax. Photos were more of an event, hence the reason all the criminals are in their best attire. It was a way of gaining notoriety within the criminal fraternity and the better you looked the more succesful you portrayed yourself to be. No different from the CEO of a company wearing his best suite for a cover shot in a magazine. The same use of creative photography and flattering mugshots can be found in archives in britain and america and in fact most of those released would ask to take the images home with them to show their families (unfortunately they obviously werent allowed to) I hope this helps.
ReplyDeleteYou can see so much emotion on each of their faces.
ReplyDeleteI saw this exhibition in Warsaw in 2007 or 2008 and they had a description under each photo exapligin their crimes. I can't remember now where but it was near the art academy
ReplyDeleteDE Gracy looks possessed. The guy who wouldn't open his eyes probably is too. Trying to hide his true identity.
ReplyDeleteThey all wore suits, how strange. It seems social deviancy didn't extend to appearance. I suppose dressing differently would have really been a no-no ...
ReplyDeleteT. Bede is by far the best.
ReplyDeleteisn't that fantastic that all those somehow great pictures are hidden somewhere on-line.
ReplyDeleteSidney Kelley looks exactly like Timothy Geitner, wow
ReplyDeleteawesome, i love that some of them are so comfortable looking.
ReplyDeleteThese are remarkable, thanks for posting!
ReplyDeleteI like the Sidney Kelly one.
ReplyDeleteThey are all so small.
ReplyDeleteThe sharpness is incredible. I wonder if there was any post production done after being digitized?
ReplyDeleteI like two things: the broken noses, badly healed. And the huge hats on a couple of the little guys.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting pictures ;) http://www.cigs4girls.com/
ReplyDeleteVera, Vera
ReplyDeleteWhat has become of you?
Does anybody else in here
Feel the way I do?