Art by David Angelo - 2

 More David Angelo in Part 1 

 

David Angelo - The Swimmers

Underwater swimming was another theme beloved of 60s artists who wanted to add a touch of class to their erotic imagery. There was great potential for playing with graceful body shapes, and it was a legitimate excuse for depicting nude men together, reliving youthful adventures. The intersection of knee and groin here is a great example of 'hidden eroticism' (see labels at foot of post) but you will observe that an attempt to sneak in something naughtier was foiled by a keen, censor's eye.

 

David Angelo - The Swimmers

 Angelo contented himself with modestly interlocking limbs here, using streams of air bubbles to obscure naughty bits. The result is not entirely what the censor would have wished. With the inverted swimmer, the bubbles unexpectedly convey a sense of sexual excitement. Down below, his hand seems to have swept across his companion's groin leaving a stream behind that is full of teasing ambiguities. Angelo's treatment of the swimmer's hair in both these images is a well observed, lifelike detail, but not entirely without erotic significance either.

 

~ 

 

Like the cowboy fad, the interest in underwater action had its roots in TV and film. War films had introduced many to the role of the 'frogmen' who sabotaged the enemies warships during WW2. Lionel 'Buster' Crabbe was something of a celebrity for his wartime exploits and mysterious disappearance. His handsome namesake, an Olympic swimmer turned actor, muddied the waters for gay men by starring as Tarzan and Flash Gordon. TV added a different dimension with craggy Lloyd Bridges having underwater adventures in 'Sea Hunt' while Hans and Lotte Haas were a leading part of an exploration genre which introduced viewers to the underwater wonders of the sea.

 

David Angelo -Divers

 The underwater adventure and exploration themes often converged in dramas that depicted interactions with the inhabitants of the sea. Octopus and squid were the usual dangers, but this is a very curious mix which seems to depict a dolphin or fish as a threat and yet there seems to be intensely erotic interaction going on between the three of them. Is the diver protecting his friend from the phallic enormity pressing down on him, or is he jealous of the frottage that seems to be going on? 

 

Both humans seem to be finding it exciting. Their incongruous posing pouches, an unnecessary choice in this scenario, are bulging and seem to signal that the artist saw it as having a gay, erotic dimension. One that is helped immensely by the pleasing composition he has developed.

 

David Angelo -Diver Rescued

In this astonishing picture, Angelo goes further than erotic innuendo. The rescuer's fingers are clearly touching his buddy's pouch, and his own, straining with desire, is nestling underneath an upraised leg. No gay man could mistake the meaning of this arrangement of limbs. Nor could they fail to connect with the rescue scenario, with the ultimate gay-fantasy outcome in prospect. 

 

Angelo - Door Knob 

 

Angelo's other contribution to gay culture of the 60s was a series of delightful cartoons. He wasn't alone in exploring the possibilities of accidental disrobing, but this character has an innocent, boyish charm that is memorable.   

 

Angelo - Pitch Fork

Rather less innocence is in evidence here, with the yokel's pitchfork having performed a more efficient job than the doorknob in the previous example. For the avoidance of doubt, he hitches his thumb into his waistband, pulling it down and touching himself. The victim meanwhile makes a show of covering up but doesn't take evasive action. Just checking which of those prongs is coming his way, I suppose. You know who else has 3 prongs.

 

Angelo - Valentine

A fanciful design for a Valentines card. The artist depicts Valentine/Cupid as a winged messenger, carelessly reclining across the top of his missive, like a Royale Studio model. His cargo seems to have 'accidentally' barged into the back of a nice young man, but he doesn't seem to mind at all. 

In some respects this is an image of separation, but the twin, trailing ribbons of a bow flutter between their legs, forging a light-hearted but distinctly erotic connection between them. Cupid draws it between his legs, seductively. His target lets the ribbon go, patting his pouch in anticipation and seemingly miming his size.

Their garments are frivolously decorated with flowers or bubbles (who knows?). However, the familiar ribbing of the jockstrap alerts us to their less romantic qualities, which seem destined to react together shortly. 

 

Angelo - Statue

Angelo's artiness got the better of him in this image, I fear, with a weird distortion of the horizontal and upright planes for the two figures to stand on. A slightly odd choice of pose for the chap in the foreground, too. Behold the conquering hero, I suppose, but the eye line isn't right and it looks rather like a weaponless archer at first sight. 

 

The interest lies in the way he has drawn his pouch, minimised and bulging. A captive beast. It's the same kink as the modern chastity cage. A far cry from modern depictions of this area, which usually demand much more fabric in any covering, in order to show an identifiable ramrod beneath it. 

More Angelo in Part 1 

For similar posts, click on the labels below 

Art by David Angelo 1

 

 The vintage gay art of the sixties that was printed in beefcake magazines of the time often seems quite amateurish, however this example by David Angelo has a pleasing blend of technical accuracy and sensuality. 

 

Inevitably, the model is clad in a posing pouch, a garment that often attracts derision in our own time, but the artist's treatment gives us a sense of size inside and entrapment, a straining to escape that shows us how the men of the time really saw it. Something truly erotic. 

More on vintage pouches 

 Angelo's drawing is based on a photograph of course, the model's physique and face looks rather like the great Rick Wayne.

 

David Angelo - Gunslinger

 

Cowboys were big in popular culture in the sixties, replete with handsome heroes. Angelo has given this one another idealised treatment, with prominent pecs and nipples straining at his tight shirt. The gun belt fulfils a similar restraining role below the waist. This last detail was not pure invention....

 

Robert Fuller as Jess Harper in 'Laramie'

  

Robert Fuller sneaking up behind John Smith in 'Laramie' 

 

David Angelo - Wrestlers

For this image of two wrestlers, Angelo has cleverly used the same stark lighting to cover up a bold erotic statement. 

 

One of the fighters is caught in a position where he's off-balance and vulnerable. His flimsy pouch inevitably draws the eye, but it's also attracted his opponent's hand. It's groping underneath, in the shadow of his groin. This hold has nothing to do with wrestling! 

In addition, the fighter in the foreground is totally naked, and the dark shadow that hides his far leg accentuates the impression that he's presenting his backside to us. 

It's not simply the sexuality that is so daring, it's the homosexuality. In 1960, just putting men together in a picture was suspect.

 

The lattice pattern in the corner is not part of Angelo's picture, it's part of an adjacent image in a magazine spread. 

 

 

David Angelo - Pop Star's Finale

In 1963 when this picture was published, pop music was starting to shed its veneer of respectability with Beatlemania converting music concerts into manic, adoration events. With its focus on young love, however, it was (and still is) relentlessly heterosexual. Not many pop stars dressed in transparent shirts and matador pants like this (not yet). 

 

Nevertheless, many gay artists tried to incorporate pop into their images. Tom of Finland's 'Ringo' openly sought to subvert the idea of straight entertainers and I suspect Angelo is doing that here too, by showing us his rear view, tensed above opened legs, raised up on tip toes. The singer seems to be ignoring his female fans, who are noisily lusting after his front profile. He's casting aside, too, the female shape of his guitar*. "Come and get me", he seems to be saying. To us, not them.

 

Ultimately these images fail to capture the magical attraction of pop stars, because away from the mic', he's just another bloke. I think I have seen art images of a star being seduced on stage, but I can't cite it at present. Sex in front of a horde of screaming women is a bit niche for me!

 

*The singer's own shape has interesting undulations at waist level, with an odd fit into his pants at the left. It's almost as if Angelo couldn't quite decide how slim, how masculine to make him look.

 

 

Angelo - Slave Auction 

Ever since Victorian times, the Slave Auction has been a 'go to' for artists seeking to portray gender power play and sexploitation in a semirespectable way. It fitted readily into the adoption of classical settings by gay artists seeking to avoid censure in the 50s and 60s. 

 

Angelo's Romanesque take has a very unusual night setting, giving him an opportunity to play with light effects*. The physiques of the two spectacularly muscular men who are manacled and up for sale, are greatly flattered by it - to the benefit of their value too, I suppose.  

 

A key ingredient in this scenario is the depiction of the slaves' emotions. One is proudly displaying himself, seemingly indifferent to the fate which might await him. His companion is, if anything, more muscular, but seems to be cast as a younger servant. He reaches forward, holding up the cloth which screens their groins (for the time being). 

 

The bidders we can see in the audience seem to have their own favourites, suggesting these two will not remain united after the sale.

 

*Angelo seems to have achieved this night effect using chalk or crayon on black paper. It gives something of an etched effect. Some of the detailing is spectacular - the creases of the toga for example. Unfortunately, his characterisation of the second slave, using voluminous hair and rounded cherub cheeks is very much of it's time and doesn't work for us, even if we believed in such improbable muscularity to go with it. With a man's head and face, the whole image would work much better.

 

~

 

More Angelo in Part 2 

 

 
 

 

 

FOOTNOTE 

The Many Faces of James Seely

Last year I posted a series of articles showcasing the vintage model, James Seely (or Selig)

His spontaneous facial expressions in the pictures I found fascinated me as much as his sex appeal.

So much so that I couldn't resist playing with the imagery.

 

James Seely and Dave Hodge (AMG)

 

This is his look of 'I can't believe he just said that'

Dave's is the look of 'why do I have to break them all in?'

James Seely and Dave Hodge (AMG)

The AI-cartooniser brings out an extra dimension to both men's physiques
that's not so obvious in the original photograph - two very shapely bottoms 

with James's being definitely the bubbliest of the two.

 

 

James Seely and Dave Hodge (AMG)

Actually James doesn't look very worried, just a bit defensive. 

James Seely and Dave Hodge (AMG)

 

James is a big boy and seems a lot of fun, so you can't blame Dave for trying!

His expression here seems rather like 'I don't want to think about that sort of stuff'.

Meanwhile, back at the motorbike......

 

 

James Seely and Dave Hodge (AMG)

 Such innocence!

 

James Seely and Dave Hodge (AMG) - Naked Bikers

The look of domestic recriminations between two, very sore losers.

James Seely and John Manning

The contrasting looks of innocence and sexual experience

Innocence is an irresistible challenge

and as we know, experience usually triumphs over it.

 

 

James Seely and John Manning (AMG)

The look of appraisal - and of being appraised and feeling exposed. 

 

 

James Seely and John Manning (AMG)

 Torn between getting paid and getting out of here.

 

James Seely and John Manning (AMG)

Like a Boy Scout, James believes in being prepared.
 

James Seely and John Manning - Wrestling (AMG)

This is what is known as putting on a brave face.

 

 

James Seely and John Manning - Wrestling (AMG)

 

The James Seely series :

The Abandoned Slave

Vintage Bondage - James Seely 

(with onward links) 

More Seely captions in 'Fun in the shower'

~

   This No 33 in 'The Look' series at mitchmen blog,

click on the label at the foot of this post to view the others

or use the mitchmen search function (top right in sidebar) 

Tom of Finland - Mr Universe, part 2

You can read Part 1 of this article first if you wish

 

Tom of Finland - Mr Universe 08 (Oiling Up)

 

On the day of the contest, the buddies change into their costumes and oil up. The dark haired one is being assisted here by some very butch-looking young men. The scenario provides an excuse for some fairly intimate contact between them. The bodybuilder has got himself a sexy, dark pouch with a chain for the waistband, and one of the assistants actually seems to be putting him into it. It's a daring ingredient, albeit well-disguised by a confusing arrangement of hands. 

 

The blond changes his clothes, unassisted. There's a sense of his friend getting all the attention, being pampered and hero worshipped. He's playing up to it, too, striking a god-like beefcake pose with modest downcast eyes. His blond buddy does not seem too dismayed or jealous about it. He is, perhaps, proud of his friend changing from a clumsy, ugly duckling into a swan. Interestingly, his beefcake pose resembles the ballet dancer's 'petit pose' and this conjures up another swan connection - 'Swan Lake', which is also about transformations. However, the Black Swan in that ballet plays a very dark role.  

 

 There's no doubt about this image being part of the 'Universe' set, it was explicitly labelled as such (with title) in Scan issue 8, circa August 1961. The distinctive chain pouch helps to assign other, later images to this set. Apart from these, I know of only two other instances in Tom's work where this pouch design is featured. One is in Beach Boys No 2 (1972) where a leather-pouched sun-bather wreaks havoc amongst the straight crowds. The other is a single image included in the mitchmen 'Tailor Group' article (previously referenced in Part 1 of Mr Universe). That one is not part of this set either, the pouch is white and it's being worn in a studio setting, suggesting a porn star being dressed or fluffed up for participation in something very different. Interestingly, though, it's another 'connected' image dated as 1963 in the Tom of Finland Retrospective Vol 1, but the Universe image above is definitely 1961. 

 

Notice the number 1 written in the bottom left corner. This may offer an explanation of the 1961 v 1963 date confusion. That the later images in Part 1 were post-scripts, prequels if you like, inspired by and elaborating on the run-up to the contest.  That doesn't explain image 3, however, which is indistinguishable in style and provenance from the group presented here.

 

 

Tom of Finland - Mr Universe 09

 The boys strut their stuff on the competition stage.

 

Obviously this is only a fragment of the full image and although it didn't appear until later (in 101 Boys Art Quarterly for Summer 1965), it did so alongside other fragments from the Universe series so it's almost certainly part of it. There wasn't much mileage for Tom in drawing beefcake posing when the magazines were awash with photographs of the real thing, so it's not entirely surprising that no copies of the full image have been found. The cropping here might lead you to suppose that Tom spiced it up with some provocative, costume detail deemed too daring to show. However, this publication seems to have used cropping widely and arbitrarily, perhaps to evade copyright challenges.

 

 

Tom of Finland - Mr Universe 10

 

Needless to say, one of the two boys is fated to win the contest. It turns out to be the blond who has appeared to be the more confident and polished one throughout the (my) story. In a flip of image 8, it's now him who is being feted (with exceptional generosity) by his beaten rivals. Tom uses an unconventional viewpoint at the rear of the stage which shows the enormous, equally excited audience almost clamouring to get on the stage with them. This is the era of pop star adulation, remember, with screaming 'Beatlemania' just around the corner.

 

Tom's backstage viewpoint also shows us the backsides of the bodybuilders, who are all, as expected, wearing very skimpy costumes, halfway to being backless thongs. Their two-man lift has parted the blond's legs (and butt cheeks) creating an extremely suggestive view (the serial croppers at '101 Boys' printed an unsubtle fragment of this specific area framed only by a glimpse of supporting shoulders). Despite this sexy detail, the image was used to advertise the series in Scan 9 (Nov 1961).

 

However, the version above is not the complete image.....

 

Tom of Finland - Mr Universe 10 (version 2)

 This version of the victor's celebration was used to promote the series later, in Man Alive #19 (Mar 1962). It reveals that the blond's dark-haired buddy is watching the proceedings from one side and looking defeated, disappointed and envious. 

 

Notice the lines top and bottom that seem to suggest this version was meant to be cropped as well. However, the extra detail is an important link to what follows. The accompanying blurb talks portentously of 'back-stage struggles'.

 

Notice the Number '3' in the bottom corner of this picture (following the No 1 in image 8). 

 

 

Tom of Finland - Mr Universe 11

  

As the competitors leave the stage, there's an extraordinary confrontation between the two buddies. The darker one attacks his friend, clamping a hand over his mouth as if he's just made some gloating, disparaging remark about him or perhaps disclosed a secret. The cherished trophy is sent flying. This sudden animosity is entirely unexpected*. 

 

But look what is happening at waist level!  He's pulling the blond into a tight embrace, which doesn't suggest their friendship is in any danger. Both their pouches are swollen and nestling together in a remarkably explicit sexual statement for it's time. 

 

The attacker's knee is raised between his friend's thighs, which might be an angry ball-bashing attack, but in reality it seems to be more about contacting his groin and prising his legs open. This detail might just be Tom milking the erotic potential of the scene, but it also seems like an echo of what the loser has just watched other men do to his buddy in image 10. Also, it may be my over-active imagination, but the blond's six-pack seems to have taken on the shape of a giant penis. There's certainly a remarkably strong line tracing down his body to his buddy's groin. 

 

 *Perhaps his annoyance is less surprising if you discount the introductory, character developing images and narrative which I assembled for Part 1. A comment posted here while I was composing this commentary says the set was originally called 'Beating Mr Universe' which implies he's probably just a sore loser. These days we could just blame steroids.

 

There may have been some cropping of his image, but disembodied hands reaching towards the sexy subject of the picture were a popular device at this time. You can see them in Etienne's calendar images and there's a similar 'off-stage' presence in Harry Bush's surfer pictures. Perhaps it's reflecting the cruel plight of men in the 60's who suffered from forbidden desires and were doomed to a life of hiding in perpetual frustration.

 

 

Tom of Finland - Mr Universe 12

 The bystanders drag the two combatants apart. While they glare at each other, the darker one gets a gratuitous groping. It's clear he still has plenty of admirers, the two on either side of him match those seen in image 8*. 

 

Darkie is revealed to have a giant bulge in his pouch, but it's not clear whether it's because of his feelings for his buddy or because of the guy cupping his pecs and furtively snuggling up to his uncovered backside.  

 

The blond on the right seems poised to attack or repel one. This pose can be seen in other fight images by Tom. It's not particularly interesting, but Tom has cleverly positioned his fist in a suggestive position close to the crotch of one of his rival's supporters. 

 

*Tom's fastidious attention to detailing the supporting cast as individuals and regular guys of ambiguous sexuality is one of the joys of his older work. In later years, they tended to become leather clones or cops, which were more or less equivalents.

 

 

Tom of Finland - Mr Universe 13

 

 Relative peace descends and the antagonists return to their post-contest routines, showering off the posing oil and stage grime. Nevertheless, the sense of animosity lingers on. The dark-haired guy has stripped off his 'costume' and is grimly grasping it, as if contemplating using its chains as a flail. He appears to be looking in the direction of his former pal who has just emerged from the shower, but his eyes are closed (or closing) in response to some distracting pampering from one of his loyal acolytes. The masseur appears to be squatting astride his right leg, in a typically ambiguous Tom juxtaposition that appears to suggest his mind is on a service he might like his hero to provide for him. The blond looks on with just the faintest trace of a smile on his face. 

 

The chain pouch confirms this to be part of the 'Universe' series. The picture is taken from 101 Boys Autumn '68, so it sheds no light on the dating of the series. 

 

 

Tom of Finland - Mr Universe 14

While the blond finishes dressing, cramming his bits into incredibly tight jeans, his dark haired buddy creeps up behind him and pinches the trophy. I'm giving his motives the benefit of the doubt in not using the word 'stealing', influenced in part by his suddenly boyish appearance and cheeky grin. I can't say whether Tom intended it to be seen that way. 

 

You'll notice there's a considerable presence in his jeans, perhaps he's excited by his own daring here, or perhaps it's the result of all the attention he was getting in the last picture. But even that excitement and the enticing ass before him does not deflect him from his villainy.

 

This is another image I have reassembled from two 'bleeding chunks' published in the same issue (!) of 101 Boys, Summer '65. It's pretty obvious where the join is. The little statuette that tops the contest trophy (see image 10) can just be glimpsed between the blond's legs. That's a nice, little innuendo that is satirical as well as erotic if you think about it. Thankfully, the cropping just manages to preserve it. In addition, you can just about see that the leather guy's hand is gripping one of the handles.

 

 

Tom of Finland - Mr Universe 15

 The thief emerges from the contest hall to be greeted by the assembled ranks of the press corps and fans eagerly awaiting a glimpse of their victorious hero. Their expressions of shock and horror tell us exactly what they think about being presented instead with a contestant who didn't even make the top 3 (see image 10). He looks annoyingly cute and confident too! 

 

Is that all there is?, you say. 'Fraid so but we must be grateful for this small mercy from Boys 101 (yet again), for at least preserving this much. It resolves the issue of motivation, the guy just craves attention and adulation. The top of a head, just below the trophy, suggests a kneeling press-man who will probably be seeming to give it to him, by performing intimate tasks.

 

 

Tom of Finland - Mr Universe 16

The disappointed crowd turn on the misguided imposter and strip him of his clothing. This reveals a formidable physique that arguably justifies his disappointment at not winning*. It's possible that this revenge is triggered by the blond himself following him out and confronting him (see the middle head of the trio at the back). The ill-gained trophy falls to the ground yet again, helpfully linking this image into the series.

 

*Interestingly, AMG ran a little article alongside images from this set, reporting allegations of 'result fixing' in real bodybuilding contests, but not endorsing them.

 

This image would surely have been the best of the set in uncropped form and original quality. For once this copy isn't taken from the 101 Boys Art Quarterly, but from John Barrington's 'The Tom Album' (1974). The drawing style of the boy on the right closely resembles the characters in an early 1959 biker series which surfaced a few years ago.

 

~

 

In Tom's normal vocabulary of this period, image 16 would probably not have been the final image in his series. We would have seen the trophy restored to it's rightful owner and the miscreant doing penance in some way, possibly by way of a spanking or by grovelling before his better. If such an image exists, I haven't been able to find it but I live in hope.

 

In all we have 9 images (or parts) which can reliably attributed to the 1961 set out of the supposed 12. 

 

   

Click on this link for an Index of ToF articles at mitchmen blog

The labels below link to other topics 

 

Targeted

 

 The mystery deepened when Ben complained to the manager. They didn't have a room laundry service, who might have taken his clothes, he said, but he would investigate what the CCTV had picked up. Meanwhile, Ben would have to vacate his room since it was already booked by someone else that night. However, he could stay in the resident's lounge for as long as it took, free of charge. That was just as well, since Ben didn't have money to pay his bill or even a phone to call anyone any more. The hotel had a phone, of course, but who remembers other people's numbers these days? Ben didn't. He just had to wait and see what the Manager came up with. The idea that this might take days rather than hours disturbed him.

It wasn't as though they were comfortable panties either, the lace felt very rough on Ben's nether regions. If he didn't keep still, it rubbed his balls mercilessly. The narrow string up the back did the same thing to his crack, because it was stretched tight by his efforts to keep his junk contained in the tiny pouch at the front. It didn't feel much more comfortable if he stood up and walked around either, and then he knew everyone was looking at him and probably thinking things about him, which he'd rather they didn't. 

 

The Resident's Lounge was surprisingly busy considering it was a bright, sunny day outside. The hotel seemed to have a disproportionate number of ageing gentlemen as residents, many of whom thought slapping his bottom playfully as he passed would cheer him up. When he was out of his seat, he had to keep a vigilant lookout to see if anyone was creeping up behind him.

He hovered around the Manager's Office for a while, hoping for a development. There seemed to be much jollity going on inside, but no news about his missing belongings. He couldn't even go for a walk to pass the time, and no-one offered to lend him clothes to wear, except one old man who offered an unappealing, dirty raincoat. There wasn't any shortage of people wanting to talk to him, of course, he constantly had to shoo away loiterers, but all the attention made him feel worse. He returned to his seat to find it occupied. None of the others were vacant either, although several gentlemen kindly offered him their knee to sit on. He thought it best to decline these offers and found a newspaper to read, leaning with his back to the wall.

As the day wore on, the prospect of spending the night in the lounge loomed larger and larger, and he became increasingly agitated and sought out the manager again, demanding he do something. Eventually the Police were called and one arrived an hour later - in plain clothes, surprisingly. Naturally, they had other priorities on a Friday night, he said. He advised him not to go out after dark. Folks round here don't go in for that sort of thing, he said, nodding at Ben's lacy bulge. Ben flushed with embarrassment. 

 

Ben had no choice but to reconcile himself to spending the night on a settee in the Guest Lounge. The room was still quite crowded with old men, but he found a safe seat and watched TV until 'News at Ten', hoping that when it finished, they would all disappear to bed. But they didn't, there was some sort of discussion going on, quite heated. Eventually, one of them approached him and offered him the chance to take a shower in his room. Ben accepted gratefully, taking the chance to wash out his G-string in the warm, refreshing spray. 

 

When he emerged, the gentleman was already in his double bed, asleep. Ben stole to the door, but to his horror found it was locked. "I wouldn't go back down there" his host advised sagely from the bed, "it's not safe for you". Something in his tone suggested he wasn't just talking about tactile sleepwalkers. "You'll be much safer staying here with me" he said, most emphatically, and his words struck Ben quite forcefully. "Just take my word for it" the man said gravely as he peeled open the cover on the unoccupied side of the bed.

 

Ben stared at him and the bed. But his courage failed him. He looked round for the door key but couldn't see it. He tried the door again, hoping it had changed its mind about being locked. Finally, thinking about the cold, dark lounge downstairs, he looked back at the inviting bed. 

"Come on lad, you must be feeling tired, get into bed", the gentleman said kindly, "I won't eat you".

 

But he did, and that wasn't all he did, but he did it so nicely, it didn't seem to matter to Ben.

The night sped by in the strangest manner. 

 

~

 

For other 'Targets' at mitchmen, click on the post label below

Vintage Targeting

Irwin Horwitz captured by Eddie Williams (WPG)

 An unusually daring bondage image from WPG. The subject of abduction itself is controversial in any age and this image is realistically modelled compared with most contemporary imagery, with the wrist restraint looking snug and the ropes held by the abductor stretched tight. All this with both models completely naked.

Irwin Horwitz fights Eddie Williams (WPG)

This image, possibly from the same series, shows Irwin holding his own against Eddie, an older man with superior size and muscle development. It's not obvious that it's the same location, but Eddie, at least, is still pouched here. Irwin seems to have a vicious hammerlock on his left arm. 

Irwin Horwitz (WPG)

Irwin's somewhat boyish appearance in the duals with Eddie, detract from their appeal for me, but this studio image portrays him in a much more desirable light, with decent, light musculature and a sexy smattering of body hair, especially in the lower regions. 

Perhaps Irwin was trained and buffed up after being captured and this is him on his big day at the saleroom. He presents well.

And if you're wondering whether Eddie managed to fulfil his capture quota that day, 

up in them, thar hills, the image below may give you the answer.

Eddie Williams in chains (WPG)

Eddie appeared in the same auction catalogue as Irwin, as Lot 112.

He protested to the end and this image captured the moment when he had to be whipped

to make him go onto the stage and mount the rostrum.

That sort of behaviour is counter-productive, it attracts the worst kind of bidders, the harsh disciplinarians and men who don't want the slave as a worker at all, just as a target for their venom.

~

I have added this post to the 'Vintage Bondage' and 'Targeted' series.

Click on the labels below for related posts (mitchmods for more captions)

Vintage Bondage - Leonard Chambers chained, roped and nude

 Leonard Chambers was the subject of the very first Vintage Bondage post at mitchmen blog, back in 2015. Those images were chosen because they had more of a sense of a restraint about them than was usual in the 1950's. I added some more images from the same shoot to it not so long ago so you might like to check them out using the link just above.

Leonard Chambers in chains 1 (AMG)

The original post featured rope bondage on a bench. These images feature chains and upright poses but they also capture the special qualities of this popular model. His canted head in the image above conveys a sense of thoughtfulness and sadness, as though he's a man contemplating his choices and the punishment for them. There's a better sense of his luxurious physique than in the first set, nicely oiled. The position of his hands obscures enough of his pouch to give a good sense of nakedness (with scope for lewder interpretations of what's going on out of sight). 

Leonard Chambers in chains 2 (AMG)

This picture obliquely suggests that the punishment might be a visit to the whipping post. Chambers strikes a proud, or you might say arrogant, defiant pose while facing the prospect of a barrage of pain. His raised arms give another a great view of  his torso. The often maligned, posing pouch is fully visible but has the virtue of looking as if there is something inside it, neatly packaged. It's a puzzle to me why photographers didn't opt for a loin cloth design for images like this, when it was a common enough sight in the 'Sword and Sandals' movies of the time.

These images seem much influenced by traditional, medieval notions of martyrdom. That association may help to make them look more convincing but you have to give a lot of credit to the model here for creating a dramatic moment, when it is apparent on closer inspection that he is not secured to the post at all but holding it up and the supposed 'marble pillar' looks suspiciously like a roll of floor covering. 

Leonard Chambers in chains 3 (AMG)

He adopts the same look for this pose, but arguably looks more annoyed than defiant, perhaps because the level of restraint here is barely rudimentary. The chains don't look as if they'd withstand much force and even if convincingly secured it would be more symbolic than real. Just like the prison bars at the back, to be fair. Despite such quibbles, it's still a great image of a captive muscle hunk. The loop of chain brushing the front of his pouch adds an erotic frisson.

Leonard Chambers - Sheath 1

This extraordinarily atmospheric image is not an example of bondage exactly but the model has swapped his posing pouch for a 'sheath' that encloses his sex organ in fashion that seems to anticipate the chastity devices of recent years - symbolically again but still rather sexy. Notice that the background has become a classical ancient building, conjuring up fantasies of enslavement. It's the best image yet of Leonard's physique, when it's his turn to stand on the rostrum, he should fetch a good price!

Leonard Chambers - Sheath 2

In this open-legged frontal pose, Leonard looks more youthful, waiting with barely controlled agitation. His abs are tensed, clenched even, producing a startling effect of connectivity running down and disappearing into the sheath, which you can now see has a simple, draw-string hem, like a purse of olden days. It's a matter of taste whether this clever effect turns you on but it brings out something more widely appreciated - that the model's lower torso is shaved completely smooth for as far as the eye can see. The sheath may provide a cloak of modesty, but it draws attention to this nakedness. He is now seated before a Moorish arch raising the spectre of a different style of enslavement. No wonder he looks worried.

Leonard Chambers - Nude 1

After the tantalising sheath, a genuine, frontal, fully nude shot posed before a classical column.

We are fortunate that quite a lot of AMG images of Leonard like this have survived.

He looks relaxed and confident here having comfortably passed the male nudity size test.

Leonard Chambers - Nude 2

This image posed with a curtain pole brings out the full extent of Leonards shoulder development and upper body bulk. Model's training techniques in those days seemed to produce physiques with a natural, most attractive 'plushness'. Once again there's a vague connection with the bondage theme of this post, 

the pole keeps the model's hands out of the way behind him and leaves his treasure trove unprotected. You only have to image his wrists being tied to the pole.

Leonard Chambers - Nude 3

This image creates a dramatically different torso effect. With Leonard's arm raised we see the intensely detailed muscles and stand-out veins of a body-builder training for competition by shedding fat. Presumably this is the same shoot as Nude 1, but the effect couldn't be more different. 

Again there's a hint at bondage restraint, tied to the column.

Leonard Chambers - Rope 1

There's a strange affinity between naked men and thick rope. I suppose it hints at masculine labours. Leonard here looks back fearfully as if expecting a whiplash any minute to make him pull harder. 

Rope also has a phallic quality for those inclined to see it (especially when it's dangling just in front of the model's pouch). It alludes to bondage fetish too although this one is really too thick for that purpose.

Leonard Chambers - Sailor with Rope 

Ropes like this are also inextricably linked with with sailing ships and sailors and few gay models escaped from beefcake posing sessions without having had to don the US Navy's distinctive sailor cap. This image was probably inspired by the many War movies of the era which showed bare chested, hunky sailors sweating under the pacific sun. Leonard looks as if he's trying to diligently perform a routine task in the nude (acting on perverse orders) but without losing his modesty. It makes a charming image, suggesting a man of sensitivity, needing protection and whom anyone might fall for. 

Leonard Chambers - Nude 4

This was the barely legal nude in the 50's. It can be seen as a prissy, slightly feminine pose but Leonard gives it a great deal of dignity, preserving his modesty with a slightly anxious expression that suggests he's waiting for the call which will may oblige him to reveal all. Maybe an instruction to mount the rostrum he's standing on. His oily skin lends his lean physique a harder look here. The absence of hair on his flat, lower abdomen again creates a subtly erotic accent of total nudity. 

Leonard Chambers - Pouch

This version of the sitting pose is rather less dignified, positively coquettish, but it's interesting to see a very typical 50's glamour pose for ladies performed by a male. The angling of the lower body modestly obscures a woman's 'sensitive' areas but makes a man look uncharacteristically coy without hiding anything. The pouch too is less much elegant than a bikini but looks sexily loaded. If you've fallen in love with him, this image won't change your mind!

~

For more vintage bondage and related mitchmen posts click on the labels below