Bryan B's Lon of New York Photos

Today will be the second (with more to come) series of pictures by Classic era physique photographers sent to me by Bryan B.  This time we look at the work of Alonzo Hanagan, aka Lon of New York.  Nearly all of today's models are unknown, starting with this one purported to be the subject of the very first physique photo Lon ever took.  I did some research, and the man in the photo is believed to be a summer camp counselor fresh out of the shower photographed by a teenage Lon with a Kodak box camera.  There's some history for you, folks.  

Thank you Bryan for a phenomenal contribution.

 

Different

I included this photo of an unknown model because it is different

 from much of Lon's work in terms of pose and composition.

 

Chair

The chair in this photo of an unknown model shows up in several of Lon's photos.

One very much like it was used by Edwin Townsend to photograph Tony Sansone.

I think the geometry here is exquisite.

 

Art Ullrich

Art Ullrich was one of the most prolifically photographed physique models of the classic era, having posed for Denny Denfield, Bruce of LA, and Your Model Service in addition to Lon.

Leave it to Bryan to find a shot of him I'd never seen before.

 

Heavy fellow

No one seems to know who this hefty model is.  Lon didn't photograph 

many guys who were not in top shape, so this is a double mystery.

 

Statue

The model here looks like a fine black marble statue.

Like most of today's models, I have no name.

 

Group

I'm really miffed with Google Images search because their bots refused to look up this photo due to "content guidelines."  They've been doing this more and more lately, and it feels like a form of censorship.  That's Lon Hanagan at left, but I don't know who the other men were.  My best guess is that this was made at one of the Coney Island bath houses that had a nude sunbathing area.  Lon and his models were known to hang out there and I even have a few photos made there.

 

Hairy

This posing strap photo appears on half a dozen websites, but none of them seems to have 

a name for the hairy model.  The pompadour is a bit much, but I can't fault anthing else.

 

Playful

Alonzo Hanagan had a sense of humor,

as did this unknown model.

 

Donovan

Instead of the usual Classical column, we get drapes and sconces 

in this photo of a model listed only as "Donovan."

Thanks again to Bryan B for providing today's photos!

 

Beach Day

Today we go to the beach with photos ranging from slick professional to very amateur.

I place this one at the pro end of the spectrum.

 

Keith Vaughan

British artist Keith Vaughan took this photo in 1938 while 

on an excursion to Pagham Beach with a group of young men.

 

Amateur

An amateur photographer took this snapshot of a man emerging from the sea.

 

Tom Quinn

Falcon Studio took this photo of model and porn star Tom Quinn.

 

Hmmmm . . .

At first glance, I thought the piece of driftwood sticking out of the sand to the left of this guy's knee 

was a severed human foot.  I've got to stop watching so many horror movies.

 

Not Germans

Imagine my surprise when my research revealed that these were not Germans,

but Boston men enjoying the beach near the L Street Bath House.

 

Two extremes

We get opposite ends of the dressing spectrum in this photo.

 

Baskers

Basking in the sun is fun, but bad for the skin without sunscreen.

 

1970s

This is from a 1970s nudist magazine.

 

Breeze

This fellow looks like he may be enjoying the sea breeze.

 

Quartet

Here we have an attractive quartet.

 

Tom Wayne

I just did a search and learned that this photo for which I 

previously had no information is Tom Wayne by Bruce of LA.

 

Archery

Instead of shooting off fireworks for the Fourth of July, 

let's do arrows instead. We start with a pair of nudists.

 

Tan Line

This guy seems to be tanned only from the waist up,

something I've heard called "ditch digger tan."

 

Guy Madison

Here we have a publicity still of actor Guy Madison.

 

George Barbier

George Barbier painted The Archer in 1914.

 

Geometry

I almost used this one in my last geometry set,

but I decided to save it for archery instead.

Some fine arcs and angles here.

 

Josep Masana

It was 1930 when Josep Masana took this photo of an unknown model.

 

Real nudists?

I'm not sure if these guys are real nudists or Wyngate & Bevins fake nudists.

 

Achilles

Giuseppi Guizzardi painted Achilles the Archer in 1807.

 

Tom Knoll

I posted this John Graham of London photo of Tom Knott 

in my first ever archery series about six years ago.

 

Parting shot

And last, but not least, we have a parting shot.