Vintage Bondage - James Seely

James Seely by Kris - 1

In this 1965 picture by Kris of Chicago, James Seely looks every inch like the military man who's just come into the studio to pose for some skin pix and earn himself some extra cash. His muscularity and USMC tattoo mark him out as a man who can look after himself. The jock he's wearing is reassuringly masculine and there's a certain casual confidence in this open-legged pose. As a winner of the Mr Florida title, Seely was well used to displaying his physique. But there's a look in his eye here that's a little wary and he's clinging to the stool as if not quite secure.

James Seely by Kris - 2

In this picture he shows his military background with a confident, casual pose and rebellious gesture. We don't really know if know if the finger was a spontaneous reaction to provocative banter or if it was deliberately posed by Kris. However, given at arms length here, it seems like a half-hearted, sly response to being ordered around, whilst still obediently holding the pose. Seely's submissive and questioning expression makes it look more like an invitation than a rebuke.

James Seely by Kris - 3

In this picture we can see that the garment protecting James's modesty is only the remnants of a jockstrap, curiously adapted to a posing pouch (a puzzling phenomenon of the 1960's that I explored in mitchmen's Vintage Season, Part 11). This leaning back pose puts his whole torso on display and James looks abashed, as if this is not quite what a man should do. He puffs out his chest in a show of military manliness but holds the stool for support, protecting his rear, but perhaps not realising just how grabbable and appealing his lean physique and slender waist looks.

James Seely by Kris - 4

If the model felt discomforted by the self display of the previous pose, it's even worse here with his crotch thrust forward, offering himself up to the gaze of strangers. It seems to show in that irritated, 'what's going on?' expression. He's bound to feel vulnerable, because he cannot protect himself in this position and getting out of it requires awkward, undignified manoeuvres. That helplessness makes for a very sexy picture and (unknown to him) Kris has ensured that his jock-pouch stands out, virgin-white against the background. The bulge it reveals is necessarily modest by modern standards, because of the legal constraints of the day, but it won't necessarily have felt like that to him.

The magic Kris weaves using this elegant, art nouveau style stool is a tribute to his artistic skill.

James Seely by Kris - 5

   Next, Kris introduces dangling chains and persuades Seely to strike a classic body-building pose with them wrapped round his wrists. He looks like a captive slave being presented for sale or made ready for punishment. The subterfuge of combining classical art and modern fitness imagery was probably intended to confuse the model just as much as it was the censors and Seely's wonderfully expressive face suggests it's had exactly that effect - with an dash of apprehension thrown in. 

Kris got Seely to change into a 'proper' posing pouch for this part of shoot. It better suits the allusion to slavery, but the flimsy material is more directly revealing than coarse, jock fabric and it probably felt that way to James as he slipped his tackle into it. There's even a slight impression that it might even have been pre-wetted, Royale style, to enhance it's clinginess. That might have contributed to the model's pained expression. Kris has drawn attention to it with some clever lighting. 

James looks big, strong and powerful in this perspective, worthy of being restrained with chains. 

It's a dramatic physical contrast to his poses with the stool, but he looks no less vulnerable.

James Seely by Kris - 6

This picture may look familiar, I used it 18 months ago in The Abandoned Slave, a captioned post spoofing the pretended restraint in bondage imagery of the mid 20th century. Kris seems to be doing the same himself with the dangling chain end looking for an anchorage and humorously phallic. Seely contributes a delightful, puzzled expression. The trailing chains rising up between his open legs are not devoid of erotic significance either.

Kris has subtly accentuated the shape of Seely's pouch here by allowing a drooping shadow to fall across it, but it's far from prominent (compare it with the jock cupping in image 4). Rather it helps create a sense of near nudity in Seely's willowy physique. 

James Seely by Kris - 7

That sense of flexibility flows through this image too with James seeming to be trapped in the chains and twisting to look back at us pleadingly. The first sight of his backside is a treat, no wonder he looks so worried! That's not the only significant development here because in this image he actually is completely naked. The pouch has gone the way of the jock leaving only a tell tale line across his glute.

James Seely by Kris - 8

Seely playfully wraps the chains around himself, protecting his modesty in the frontal view.

His physique looks mellow and attractive here and is enhanced by the spiralling chains.

His face is a picture of uncertainty, this is how you would imagine a captive to look

 on the auction block as the bidding fury mounts.

James Seely by Kris - 9

The model's playfulness emerges more clearly here. 

Seely's back is the most impressive result of his bodybuilding but it's the buttock cleft

 that draws your eye, thanks to Kris's adroit arrangement of the chains. 

I suppose you might describe this as an early manifestation of the tentacle effect,

with the victim unable to decide what to do about it.

James Seely by Kris - 10

Freed from the chains, Seely presses his hands together to bring out the bulk of his back.

As with image 5, he seems to shrink into a surprising, more compact shaping.

Personally I prefer the slender look.

This pose also creates the frivolous impression that he's anxiously covering his modesty

 and looking round for the missing pouch.

Kris probably photographed full frontal images during this shoot, but the time had not yet arrived when he could advertise them or publish them openly in the beefcake press. However, nude studies of this model do exist and my next post will include some along with other examples of his delightful facial expressions.

Continued in Part 2

images courtesy of Tim InVermont and enhanced by mitchmen.