SHOW ME THE OBI !!! -- Four Pretty Geisha Girls Turn Their Backs on the Photographer

Another 1890s Hand-colored SALT PRINT. You can compare print quality and the hand-tined color scheme with the same image found as an ALBUMEN PRINT here : www.flickr.com/photos/24443965@N08/2338653640/

Variations of this arrangement were taken by many photographers during the Meiji era. What are those crossed suspenders doing over the Obi's ? Are they wearing Bar-B-Q aprons on the other side ??? Nope. Flickr member MOEFN has checked in to say, "The suspenders as called TASUKI, and they hold they're sleeves out of the way while the Geisha work". And yes, Geisha really do work.

There are THREE basic hairstyles on the four girls. Flickr member KUMIYANAGI has identified them (left to right) as Shimada, Marumage, Shimada and Ichogaeshi. I assume there were even more kinds of hair-do at any given time...and not just one "Standard Geisha Cut" -- what it often seems like with only a quick glance at the old photos.

In my opinion, flickr member Meigiku has an even better variant version of the above photo -- different girls on a different day, but with a small child added to the line-up. Go see it here: www.flickr.com/photos/andrewosbourn/2229703901/ as well as many other great old photos of the Geisha and Maiko she has posted from old Japan.