Adaptable

One of the (many) advantages of having a longer beard or moustache is that of styling. Men with close cropped beads have no oppotunity for variation short of shaving and then they are caught within that particular style until the follicles grow back out.

But a man with longer bears can move the hairs this way or that to elicit a particular effect. I give you Frederick III, at this time in 1870 the crown prince of Prussia and later to serve as Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. Many of the paintings and photographs that I have seen of his royal majesty present him with a somewhat conventional beard. I have seen others where the beard is somewhat split in the middle, slightly less conventional but nothing too dramatic.

But here, he has taken the comb from the center of the chin and drawn it horizontally, in some ways extending the horizontal pull of the moustache down across the chin.

Spectacular.

It may perhaps have been effected for a practical purpose of revealing the medal at his throat rather than having it concealed by a vertically combed beard.

I like to think it was more than that.

Not a fool

I have been cultivating my beard for quite a number of years and, while I have been inspired by the beards of over a century ago, I have endeavored to be somewhat unique in its styling. And yet, I continued to search archives in hopes of finding someone else who shared a similar beard so that I could make the claim that my beard was, in point of fact, period. So many beards and yet none that I could point to and say, "See! men of culture and style really do have such beards as this."

And here I find one that seems to add to that claim. This gentleman's beard is a circle beard but with some enhancements, specifically the moustache separated from the beard by being styled straight out and, even more unique, the "horns" on the beard trimmed to the center of the chin. Not an exact match to my beard, mind you, but certainly similar enough to be considered in the same taxonomy.

Culture. Style and the adoring gaze of his loving wife. And observe that she is gazing upon his fine beard. OK. So maybe she's actually looking at the sheet music but that is only for this illustration. Surely she must approve of both him and his beard all the other days of their lives. No fool he.

Unfortunately, I do not like wine so more the fool am I.

Taking stock

When the father discovered that his son was writing rather than studying law, he promptly withdrew his financial support. The young aspiring author was forced to support himself as a stockbroker, which he hated despite being somewhat successful at it. Even so, he persevered and became on of the most influential writers of the 19th Century.

This is, of course, Jules Verne at the age of 28 before he hit the big time, born this day in 1828.

A Chance Meeting

Photographers Abel J. Whalen and Abel J. Whalen both pose for a picture of themselves and their beards. Beards were not a novelty in the early days of photography but multiple exposures allow one the unique opportunity to see both profiles of a beard simultaneously.

Flattery

After a panel at an Ohio convention, an attendee came up to me and said:

"When my beard grows up, it wants to be just like yours."

I was, of course, flattered. And while I do not have what I consider to be an epic beard, one worthy of international accolades in the arena of competition, I am quite proud of my facial adornment and pleased that inspires others.

And yet, I am slightly hesitant. I have spent years cultivating a beard which I think is unique and would be sorely disappointed should someone choose to imitate my particular style.

So, allow the Century of the Beard to inspire you in finding your own path.The men featured here certainly did not mimic or parrot those around them. Nor should you.

Professor Modevi’s Beard Generator

Pitty the poor man who lacks the follicles to grow himself a beard as he may forever be looked upon as a mere juvenile amongst men. But fear no more, for Professor Modevi's advertisement in The Illustrated Police News of 4 April 1885 announces vast experience in producing a marvelous topical pharmacon that shall bring one's manliness to its fullest of potential. Surely the Victorian equivalent of Rogaine and Enzyte concocted into a single elixir.

Octo-beard

There are those who clearly believe you cannot have too much of a good thing. Especially when that good thing happens to be you. Painter. Photographer. Sculptor. Man with a beard.

Which, through an only slightly disjointed sequence of related thoughts, leads me to the question: If there were more than one of you, would each have the same beard? Would the collective you take the opportunity to wear a variety of beards and perhaps experiment with an assortment of facial adornments or do you, like this man, feel that your beard is already your ideal and worthy of being duplicated exactly?

What would you do?

What would you do?