Crooks like us...

[Selvaggio]

I have found the perfect Christmas gift for my grandfather (a retired Sydney police officer). It's a book titled "Crooks Like Us" and it features truly stunning photographs of Sydney criminals from the 1920s and 30s and their stories.

The images are, technically, mug shots - but the procedure was to phtograph suspects immediately, ie before charge. So all are in their regular street clothes and this is the aspect which I thought would appeal to FL members.

There are pages of magnificent glass negative phtographs of early twentieth century street fashion.

Here is a bit of a taste

http://www.australianedge.net/2009/11/crooks-like-us/

and an article about the book and its author
http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/tales-of-crooks-past-20090919-fw7x.html


I have checked and it is available on Amazon and would be very interesting to anyone with an interest in that period.

 

[Story]

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=40989

Same topic, different twists.

An 'urban explorer' once posted a selection of mugshots recovered from an abandoned Police Station. It was a good chronology of urban hairstyles, 1940s to 1960s.

 

[Foofoogal]

Mr. Pusta is quite delicious if I may say. Carry on..fftopic:
I bet he was very good at charming the ladies to do his crimes.

 

[Cobden]

I was initially going to say that Mr Morrish looks somewhat overdressed for an Australian June...before realising that June is winter in the Southern Hemisphere *Gibbs-slaps self* :eusa_doh:

 

[Selvaggio]

Well, from this book it seems most of the crimes during the twenties in Sydney were cocaine trafficing or fraud. He has a bit of the look of a con-man to me.

We don't know what Pusta was charged with, but Morrish's scam was to pose as the collector for a charity raffle - visiting tobacconists and barber shops to collect ticket stubs and cash from ticket sales. He received a light sentance because of an exceptional war record.

 

[HadleyH]

Wow!!!! the hat he is wearing! quite impressive! never seen anything like it!

omg! i just noticed the scarf! my! he looks so hip!lol doesnt he?

 

[Selvaggio]

See the stylish people here notice these things, whereas the first thing that struck me was his bad case of hat-head!

 

[Carlisle Blues]

Wow!!!! the hat he is wearing! quite impressive! never seen anything like it!

omg! i just noticed the scarf! my! he looks so hip!lol doesnt he?

He looks like a filthy unkempt, disheveled low level unsuccessful punk whose hat is too big, with clothes that do not fit and a scarf that does not match...
NTTAWWT if that is your thing....[huh] [huh]

 

[Foofoogal]

well. Mr. Pusta does not. lol

 

[Carlisle Blues]

well. Mr. Pusta does not. lol

No he does not.........and since this is the holiday season I want to send that poor fellow over to Hadley's house for a decent meal and a clean set of clothes that fit and match....Nice hat and scarf, indeed...lol lol lol

 

[HadleyH]

He looks like a filthy unkempt, disheveled low level unsuccessful punk whose hat is too big, with clothes that do not fit and a scarf that does not match...
NTTAWWT if that is your thing....[huh] [huh]

It's not the point if that is my thing or not.

Had that man been walking the steets of Paris, Milan or New York and the Sartorialist photographer seen him, he would have have been another "stylish" man too, I bet!

And so what, he needs to comb his hair,,, big deal!

The man is a crook hence he can not possibly look stylish!!! Well, in my eyes, he does have a bit of style.

My two cents. [huh]

 

[Carlisle Blues]

It's not the point if that is my thing or not.

Had that man been walking the steets of Paris, Milan or New York and the Sartorialist photographer seen him, he would have have been another "stylish" man too, I bet!

And so what, he needs to comb his hair,,, big deal!

The man is a crook hence he can not possibly look stylish!!! Well, in my eyes, he does have a bit of style.

My two cents. [huh]

Oh yea well in MY New York that bed bug infested crook would be washing my car window on 110th Street, albeit with style and his tongue in cheek....lol lol

What I meant by your thing is your sense of style. And when it comes to style you are full of it....a great sense .....:eusa_clap :eusa_clap

Maybe I do see your point I once stole some french fries........

I took another look at your fellow I think his hair style is perfect.......

 

[HadleyH]

I took another look at your fellow I think his hair style is perfect.......

lol noooooo... his hair style is not perfect!

i said he needed a comb he needs a comb !!!

 

[Carlisle Blues]

lol noooooo... his hair style is not perfect!

i said he needed a comb he needs a comb !!!

Well I am starting to see things your way so in that spirit I will give you a comb

and another little surprise to help your fella lol

now he looks depression chic big hat and scarf

 

[Feraud]

Oh yea well in MY New York that bed bug infested crook would be washing my car window on 110th Street, albeit with style and his tongue in cheek....lol lol

Did you move to NY?

 

[Carlisle Blues]

Did you move to NY?

I never left........I am here because school is more suitable for my boy. I am born and bred in NYC. Everything meaningful that I ever accomplished has been related to NY. So I think in terms of NYC. I have lived in many places due to work, but, NY is and will always be home...

 

[Feraud]

Ah, my mistake. I thought you lived out of state.

Have to say this guy has that definite shifty eyed criminal look about him.

 

[Carlisle Blues]

Ah, my mistake. I thought you lived out of state.

Have to say this guy has that definite shifty eyed criminal look about him.

I do currently live out of state...you are not mistaken. Everything that I am or do is involved in NY. In fact my area reminds me of James Cagney's Dutchess County farm in Stanfordville, New York and is only "Forty Five Minutes From Broadway"; so to speak.

I agree this guys eyes and everything about him speak to shiftiness and from the size of his clothes he can shift in them all he wants and no one would notice.

 

[HadleyH]

The man is a crook what do you want...he will never look like Mother Teresa of Cacultta, leave him alone! :rage:

and i still think he carries himself with a dash of style.

lol

 

[Carlisle Blues]

^^^^

lol lol lol lol lol