Photo of Orville Gibson

[Bill Kammerzell]

A friend sent me this photo. More in the realm of "Interesting" and asking if I'd ever seen it? I had not, until today. I wonder if anyone knows the origin? What I mean is, is that some sort of ceremonial outfit? I'm used to seeing photos of Orville in the typical suit and derby hat of the time. I did once see one of him in a sort of a Drum Major costume.
Anyone have any information on this? I'd make a guess something like he's wearing would be difficult to find today?

Thought I'd add the assumed drum major photo.

[MikeEdgerton]

Been here many times and has been on Roger Siminoff's site for years. If I recall there was some mention years back about the musical groups of the time dressing in outlandish costumes as part of the act.

https://www.siminoff.net/orville-gibson

https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...=1#post1773339

[Bill Kammerzell]

Been here many times and has been on Roger Siminoff's site for years. If I recall there was some mention years back about the musical groups of the time dressing in outlandish costumes as part of the act.



https://www.siminoff.net/orville-gibson

https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...=1#post1773339

That makes sense. Come to think of it, in some ways that hasn't changed at all.

[Bill Kammerzell]

Been here many times and has been on Roger Siminoff's site for years. If I recall there was some mention years back about the musical groups of the time dressing in outlandish costumes as part of the act.

https://www.siminoff.net/orville-gibson

https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...=1#post1773339

That group, next to the photo of Orville in that interesting get up, sort of reminded me of Paul Revere and the Raiders.

[MikeEdgerton]

I met Paul Revere and the Raiders in the early 60's just before they went national in a Barber shop in Portland, Oregon. They used to wear those costumes, well, part of them, during the day

[Bill Kammerzell]

I met Paul Revere and the Raiders in the early 60's just before they went national in a Barber shop in Portland, Oregon. They used to wear those costumes, well, part of them, during the day

Let me guess. The jackets?

[Jim Garber]

I think Orville was trying to look like of the the early Style R harp guitars. Or maybe he was designing the harp guitar to look like him:

[MikeEdgerton]

Let me guess. The jackets?

That would be correct.

[T.D.Nydn]

It's not just the musical groups that dressed like this,anyone going out with money in the big city would dress like this.people forget this is the Victorian era,where it was trendy to wear totally mismatched outlandish outfits and colors,plaid pants with striped shirts,dotted vests and tall colored top hats.to see more of this in context,watch a movie called ",the gangs of new york",where everyone is wearing mismatched clothing,,

[Bill Kammerzell]

That would be correct.

I recall having a Navy Peacoat around that time that was similar but not exact. IIRC Paul Revere and the Raiders began getting popular around 1965. I was 14 and living in the Oklahoma Panhandle. We were always behind the times there, but even we had Dick Clark's "Where the Action Is" in a sort of "After School" time slot. As I remember Paul Revere and his group, were sort of the "House Band" for that. Apparently they reached an even younger audience. My wife, who couldn't have been more than 10 or 11 then, tells me they were her favorite group at that time and she was in love with Mark Lindsay the lead singer.

[Bill Kammerzell]

It's not just the musical groups that dressed like this,anyone going out with money in the big city would dress like this.people forget this is the Victorian era,where it was trendy to wear totally mismatched outlandish outfits and colors,plaid pants with striped shirts,dotted vests and tall colored top hats.to see more of this in context,watch a movie called ",the gangs of new york",where everyone is wearing mismatched clothing,,

Sort of Berkeley, California, 1966.