Shorts Collection (page 9)

Comic postcard, Four pairs of legs paddling in the sea. Why don t you come and mingle your tooties [tootsies] with ours? Date: 20th century

Comic postcard, Couple stuck up a tree with an angry bull below Date: 20th century

Comic postcard, breathing in short pants Date: 20th century

Comic postcard, Cowkeepers daughter Date: 20th century

A little boy beaming widely as he gets a push on a garden swing. Another boy, possibly his brother, waits his turn. Date: c.1950

A little boy being pushed on a swing. Date: c. 1950
A little boy being pushed on a swing. Date: c.1950

A group of children lined up for a photograph in a terraced street. Date: 1930s

A Young boy playing cricket in a suburban garden - he awaits for a delivery to arrive... Date: circa 1920

Tatler cover 1939 - Alice Marble & Jean Nicoll
Front cover of The Tatler featuring a photograph of American, shorts-wearing Alice Marble shaking hands at the net with sixteen year-old British tennis player

Children carrying a Guy Fawkes on Bonfire Night (sepia photo)
STC347658 Children carrying a Guy Fawkes on Bonfire Night (sepia photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; The Stapleton Collection; English, out of copyright

Woman in dress and cape of bleu crepe de chine with pekine velvet gilet jacket. Robe et cape de crepe de chine bleu, gilet de velours pekine

Advert, Wee MacGreegor Pottery, Glasgow, Scotland, by John Hassall - Whit Wey? 1904

Cyclist at St Johns Cycling Club, Worcester Cyclist at St Johns Cycling Club
Worried-looking cyclist at St Johns Cycling Club races, Worcester. 1892

The Large Boxer (oil on canvas)
XIR181599 The Large Boxer (oil on canvas) by Kolle, Helmut von Hugel (1899-1931); Musee de l Hotel Sandelin, Saint-Omer, France; German, out of copyright

A Naigue of the Bombay Battalion, plate 28 from Oriental Drawings
STC86091 A Naigue of the Bombay Battalion, plate 28 from Oriental Drawings, engraved by Thomas Medland (1755-1823) pub. 1806 (aquatint) by Gold

The Striped Blazer, (watercolour and pencil on buff paper)
985421 The Striped Blazer, (watercolour and pencil on buff paper) by Demuth, Charles (1883-1935); 28x21.7 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: The Striped Blazer. Charles Demuth (1883-1935)

The White Horse, (oil on canvas)
985250 The White Horse, (oil on canvas) by Lawson, Ernest (1873-1939); 61x76.2 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: The White Horse. Ernest Lawson (1873-1939). Oil on canvas

Ship Ahoy (oil on canvas)
1199524 Ship Ahoy (oil on canvas) by Rossi, Alexander M. (1840-1916) (attr.to); 76.2x53.3 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: Rossi, Alexander M)

View across the Sawahs to Gunung Agung, c. 1937-1939 (oil on board)
1198436 View across the Sawahs to Gunung Agung, c. 1937-1939 (oil on board) by Spies, Walter (1895-1942); 62x91 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: Spies)

Peasant in Prayer; Paysan en Priere, (oil on canvas)
827445 Peasant in Prayer; Paysan en Priere, (oil on canvas) by Corot, Jean Baptiste Camille (1796-1875); 49.5x36.2 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: Peasant in Prayer; Paysan en Priere)

The Transit of Venus, 1883 (oil on canvas laid down on board)
1767350 The Transit of Venus, 1883 (oil on canvas laid down on board) by Brown, John George (1831-1913); 76.8x63.5 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: The Transit of Venus)

Seated Couple; Sitzendes Paar, c. 1920 (distemper; leimfarbe on burlap)
825303 Seated Couple; Sitzendes Paar, c.1920 (distemper; leimfarbe on burlap) by Veit, Philipp (1793-1877); 100x83 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: Seated Couple; Sitzendes Paar)

Boy with Boat; Garcon avec Bateau, (oil on canvas)
825161 Boy with Boat; Garcon avec Bateau, (oil on canvas) by Martin, Henri (1860-1943); 73x54 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: Boy with Boat; Garcon avec Bateau. Henri Martin (1860-1943)

The Story Book, 1892 (oil on canvas)
659563 The Story Book, 1892 (oil on canvas) by Mundt, Emilie Caroline (b.1842); 49x26.5 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: The Story Book. Emilie Mundt (1842-1922). Oil on canvas. Dated Dec 1892

Vaulting: Combined horse vaulting (b / w photo)
6011972 Vaulting: Combined horse vaulting (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Combined horse vaulting)

Sketch cover, Binnie Hale in her dressing room, Hippodrome
Binnie Hale, star of the hit musical comedy Sunny at the London Hippodrome, pictured in her dressing room wearing the fetching shorts for her gymnasium scene and arranging various toys

Lady Castlerosse in Cannes
Lady Castlerosse, formerly Miss Doris Delavigne, pictured with Mr John McMullen cruising off Cannes. Date: 1931

Man with his bicycle. circa late 19th century

Vic Seixas, American tennis player
Vic Seixas (b.1923), American tennis player. circa 1950s

Mervyn Rose, Australian tennis player
Mervyn Rose (1930-2017), Australian tennis player. circa 1950s

Soldiers marching in shorts in Wales, September 1939
British soldiers marching in Wales just after the outbreak of the Second World War. The Sphere comments on their bare knees and puttees but assures the reader of their spirit and ability

Bengal Army Troops, c. 1785 (w / c on paper)
5899515 Bengal Army Troops, c.1785 (w/c on paper) by English School, (18th century); National Army Museum, London; (add.info.: Watercolour on European paper, by a Company artist, 1785 (c)

Poster advertising the boxing match between the Belgian Champion
PER205348 Poster advertising the boxing match between the Belgian Champion, Delannoit and the Dutch champion, Luc Van Dam (colour litho) by Belgian School

A Street Coffee Vendor, plate 56 from Collection of One Hundred Prints Representing
STC409021 A Street Coffee Vendor, plate 56 from Collection of One Hundred Prints Representing the Different Nations of the Levant by Charles de Ferriol, engraved by Gerard Scotin (1671-1716)

Child bending over, Italy, c. 1960 (gelatin silver print)
494345 Child bending over, Italy, c.1960 (gelatin silver print) by Villani, Achille (1870-1945); Alinari

Hot Weather Habits At Major J. B. Paget s
Page from The Tatler with photographs recording a bathing party held at Ibstock Place, Roehampton, home of Major and Mrs J. B. Paget

Tommy Green with 24 trophies, 1932 Olympics
Tommy Green (1894-1975), British racewalker and 50, 000 metres gold medallist in the 1932 Summer Olympics (held in Los Angeles, USA), photographed with 24 trophies. Date: circa 1932

Birthday card, Two years old today! 20th century

Anita Louise, American film and TV actress
Anita Louise (1915-1970), American film and TV actress. 1939

Boy holding rose, New Year Card (chromolitho)
731213 Boy holding rose, New Year Card (chromolitho) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Boy holding rose)

Gypsy Woman with boy (chromolitho)
732710 Gypsy Woman with boy (chromolitho) by French School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Gypsy Woman with boy.); Look and Learn / Barbara Loe Collection

Family of three on a tandem -- father, mother and little boy sitting in a seat attached to the back. Date: circa 1980s

Poster, That which they started we will finish, WW2. 1940s

Sepoys and an Indian officer, Bengal Army, c. 1815 (w / c on paper)
2975479 Sepoys and an Indian officer, Bengal Army, c.1815 (w/c on paper) by Indian School, (19th century); National Army Museum

Little boy in blue (colour photo)
3094523 Little boy in blue (colour photo) by French Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Little boy in blue. Postcard, early 20th century.); © Look and Learn

Birthday card with little boy (b / w photo)
3095546 Birthday card with little boy (b/w photo) by French Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Birthday card with little boy)

New Years Card with little boy playing a trumpet (colour photo)
3093829 New Years Card with little boy playing a trumpet (colour photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: New Years Card with little boy playing a trumpet)

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From the football fields of Dulwich Hamlet FC in 1936 to the boxing ring with Sugar Ray Robinson, they have always been a symbol of athleticism and determination. Whether it's the boys watching a brass band or Liverpool FC's iconic team from 1932-1933, these they have witnessed countless moments of sporting glory. Even women broke barriers, as seen in the Bystander cover from 1929 featuring a boxing woman in training. Arthur Ashe, the legendary American tennis player, showcased his skills at Wimbledon in 1975 while donning his trusty shorts. And let's not forget about girls playing bowls in the 1940s or rocking fashionable playsuits during the vibrant era of the 1930s. From Dunfermline Athletic FC to Barnet FC and Millwall Athletic football teams captured together for eternity in group photos - these shorts unite athletes across time and space. Edinburgh Hibernian FC proudly wore their shorts during their successful season around 1922-1923. Through victories and defeats, these humble garments remain an enduring symbol of sportsmanship and camaraderie.