Blog - Mustaches of the Nineteenth Century

A nice blog called Mustaches of the nineteenth century. I appreciate all the hard work this blogger bring us. Not an easy subject to blog about, I'd think. These may be belong to the 19th century, but not surprising, some of them still popular today. I know someone with the handlebar mustache. It's amazing. If you are deaf, I guarantee you that lip reading is a drag. There are pictures of men and their 'groomed" mustaches. I've seen other sites about the same topic, including one that is about a mustache competition. This blog also have terms for the mustache (under "confused?"). I can't believe some of the names they have and the terminology. Here is one, and I am quoting this from the site's glossary page:

"Handlebar

A mustache grown to have long sides that is held rigid by wax or other products to keep it from dropping below the mouth. Term originated amoung shocked travelers who were gravely assaulted when natives mistook their faces for bicycles." I also love this term: Oh fiddle'stache!

http://mustachesofthenineteenthcentury.blogspot.com/

I did some searching about the man in the photograph. Charles Jacotin was the name of the photographer from Strasbourg, France (I originally thought it was the name of the person in the picture). The man with the handlebar mustache is the Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Este, Austro Hungarian and Royal Prince of Hungary and of Bohemia. Until his assassination in June 1914, along with his wife in Sarajevo who was with him in a car, was a heir presumptive to the Austro-Hungarian throne. What is incredible about his assassination (indirectly by an assassin group called "The Black Hand" more info at the links provided) that it was the first step of incidents that started the WWI. Basically, the trigger that led to the ripple effects. I never knew that!!

*These info are both from Wikipedia and Uncyclopedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archduke_Franz_Ferdinand_of_Austria

http://uncyclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/Franz_Ferdinand

Of course, I could be all wrong and it could be someone else. But I am pretty sure that's him since the photos resemble him.

Well, this is about a blog and mustaches, not the Archduke. The photograph just intrigued and fascinated me that I got carried away. Now I can see why the natives thought it was a bike handlebar ;-) .

So have fun looking at the cool mustache photos, really some good stuff, and the glossary is fun too!