Some of the halfpenny morning newspapers frequently dish up some very
curious things about photography, things the technical journals would never
dream of. One of them a few days ago told us - and gave an illustration - of
the latest New York craze. This is nothing less than having the facial
presentment of one's fiance or husband photographed on the arm. Such a mark
of affection must be gratefying to the male objects thereof - the craze is
confined to the ladies, the average American man being too busy to transform
himself into a photograph frame - for the process of having the likeness
transformed upon the cuticle entails some suffering and much time, which
latter might be more profitably spent at the office. The up-to-date American
girl, if she does not wear her heart upon her sleeve, exhibits her lover's
"picture" on her arm. At the end of a fortnight the photograph begins to
fade, and is renewed - that is, of course, if the lady's affection has not
faded also.
A short time later the BJP (24 April 1903, p. 333) carried a report of a
New York actress, Nina Sherman, who had a cabinet sized picture of her lover
reproduced just above her decolletage:
In the second act of "The Sultan of Sulu," Miss Sherman wears a
tight-fitting drummer's boy's uniform. At her bosom there is a V-shaped
opening. The picture showed up well in this open space last night. Her
fiance's features were discernible through opera glasses.
-Philip Jackson