My Fetish Initiation

Classic William Higgins Bondage

This was the first true bondage image I ever saw. I stumbled across it hidden amongst conventional, arty, beefcake photos in a battered magazine and was amazed. It showed me things, that in my innocence, I had never dreamed about, like the doubled-back leg tie and noose-like loops stretching out the ball sack. The copy I saw was a small and pretty poor quality image, part of an advert for a William Higgins magazine, so it was a while before I noticed the ring gag and tit clip details, but to be honest I don't think the picture really needs these extras. The boyish looking model is not my ideal either, but the sheer helplessness of this captive, forced by his bondage into a provocative body display, makes this picture still both powerful and sexy - and the neat, economical roping is a delight.

It's only recently* that I discovered his name: Clay Hughes (photo by Jim-Ed)  *Jul 2024

Image above was originally sampled from the (now defunct) archive at Vintage Male Bondage.

Update Jan 2023: I unearthed the images below in a magazine called "299 Bound Men"

at Tim In Vermont

Classic Bondage - Close up of cbt and frog tied legs

Classic Bondage - Nude with Tit Clamps, cbt and frog-tied legs

Curiousities

Anton Harri

Isn't it strange how some models' cocks look like their bath taps?
Picture courtesy of HotHouse

Vintage Bondage Blog

I recently discovered a new blog specialising in 'vintage' bondage imagery, much of which is relatively unknown (in the UK at least) because it was so difficult to publish at that time, even AMG's limp ropings were underground stuff. Seeing the great stars of the time, like Fred Halstead and Jack Wrangler, subjected to genuine bondage is very exciting.

Fred Halstead

The pictures I show here are refreshing because they have a simplicity which goes to the essence of bondage - tying a man up to keep him as a helpless captive. The loop of rope round Fred Halstead's neck, pulling his head back and his wrists up high behind his back, creates an impression of dark threat and desperate struggle and it presents to us a tensed, exposed torso which you want to reach out and touch. This looks like a real man.

Jack Wrangler

Struggle is the theme of this image of Jack Wrangler too. His apparent unwillingness to remain tied up greatly enhances his male credentials with untamed, animal spirit - which makes him all the more desirable and his inability to escape all the more erotic. This impression of resistance and fear is made possible by the simple level of restraint used, which still allows him considerable movement. The complex web of body bindings that we see in Shibari style restraint can totally immobilise the victim and while this may display his body to good effect, it drains away all sense of his personality and can even make him seem like a passive volunteer, which is nothing like as much fun. Those forms of bondage preoccupied with body enclosure in straps, body bags, masks etc, take this further, focussing more on the bondage experience but obscuring the object of desire - the male body.

Joey Yale

The bondage is similar in this picture, still focussed on arm and leg restraint. It's cleverly photographed to show each of the bindings very clearly - even the tied toes. I think the black and white format helps. This image really creates a sense of subjugation, the captive's kneeling pose of course and the contrast of his nudity with his standing partner's jeans. But for me it's the helmet-like, full head of hair which really makes this picture sing. It's dated, but the careful styling is meant to be paired with equally stylish clothing and looks so out of place on a naked body that it really drives home the fact that this man actually is naked. It makes his trim body seem slender, slight and vulnerable. Seen through modern eyes, accustomed to seeing short hair and ravishing muscles on fetish models, this man looks as though he has been plucked from an entirely different, affluent world, to suffer whatever indignities and abuse his captor desires to inflict upon him.

Joey Yale is less well known than the two above but was actually Fred Halstead's partner and a director of a number of porn films for Cosco.

I published a coloured picture from this shoot a few years ago in my Muscle and Rope series where you can see the captive's face more clearly and compare the visibility of the rope ties when seen in colour. I visualised him as an abducted, spoilt playboy then, I guess we might plump for a banker these days!

There were more pictures at Vintage male Bondage. Sadly it's gone now (2019) presumably thanks to tumblrs sudden fit of respectability. I'm hoping the owner of this blog reinvents it somewhere. He set himself a difficult task, finding a sustained supply of quality vintage imagery, but I hope he returns.
Please contact me if you know more.

Since publishing this article I have found the original source of these images see Muscle and Rope 21

Bush Bikini Boys

Bush - Mini Bikini

Skimpy Bikinis with bold designs were a feature of many of Harry Bush's stylish drawings in the 60's. The mini bikini above attributes the style to London fashion - this was the 'swinging sixties' - but I doubt that you'd see clothes like this (or men like this!) on any British beach in that era.

Bush - Tigers

Bush's pictures show them being worn by a handsome, young adonis who wants to show off his assets and torment and exploit older men, less gifted by nature, who happened to pass by.

             
Bush - Surfer and VW(left), Malibu or Bust (right)

 I always assumed there was a lot of artistic licence in the flamboyant designs especially the polka dots used to stunning effect on these passing motorists, surely no-one wore these!

However, I recently discovered. this interesting photo showing two guys wearing identical side-knotted polka dot bikinis. It's from the 50's according to the title, quite daring I would have thought for that time. Two on the same beach seems quite a coincidence, perhaps this was Life imitating Art, two Harry Bush fans paying tribute. Who knows?

See more in my A-Z article on Harry Bush

Ministry of Silly Hats - 5 The Cloth Cap

Edu Boxer

The cloth cap used to be almost universal, 

equally at home on the heads of working men trudging to the pit 

and tweeded aristocrats killing defenceless animals on the moors. 

Nowadays, it is also picked up and plugged periodically by the fashion trade. 

Suave it may be, chic too perhaps, if worn at a suitable angle, 

but it's hardly the garment of choice for a beefcake shoot 

as Edu Boxer proves in this this moment of indignity, 

provided courtesy of 'Unzipped magazine'

Pretentious? - moi?

I was always told, never put your hands on your hips when throwing a tantrum, it looks camp. Perhaps Edu is protesting his maltreatment? 

Maybe he wants to keep the hat on for the whole shoot?

Edu Boxer looking great

Thankfully the hat is jettisoned and the result is this glorious image 

which you probably already know. 

A sublime example of clothes maketh man sexy.

Edu Misbehaving

I'll let Edu present his full chunky credentials. 

I understand why he's wearing boots and nothing else 

but why he's standing on the bed in them is anyone's guess. 

His mum won't thank him for it!

For other posts in this series, click on 'hats' in the lable list below

Guys in Uniform Studio No 12 Changing Shorts

Changing Shorts

 

1

Guys in Uniform Studio - Runner

This group of pictures from the 'Guys In Uniform' Studio features the same model as my last post on GIU, No 11 Military Intimidation in which he threatens a dejected athlete. This time he's in rather nice athletic shorts that reveal a good deal of detail of what lies within. I don't know if this is the Royale wet fabric trick again, but it works for me!

2

Trying to sequence these vintage pictures by reference to clothing is often quite futile, as the photographer clearly tried out various clothing combinations and undress sequences. Here, the model has removed shorts and one legs-worth of shoe and sock. The bare foot in this picture is an angular treat in the Etienne mould.

3

Here he is apparently removing his shorts, or perhaps underwear, but this time with no shoes or socks on at all. Another interesting foot shot. There's a tantalising glimpse of cock in the shadows. 

4

Now we see him removing what looks like a jockstrap, again with no footwear on. It's a bit frustrating for lovers of orderly strip sequences, but the photographer must have had fun directing proceedings.

5

Here he is donning a pair of 50s style soccer shorts and little dick comes out into the open, flaccid, of course - and cut, which is not particularly common in the UK. Around this time there was much pushing of boundaries regarding frontal nudity, for Guys In Uniform it was all in vain.

6

In the final picture, our hero wriggles into a football/rugby style shirt with hoops and button up neck. Not very alluring visually, despite the hitched up leg hems and subtle bulge. Modern day sporting gear is rather more flattering, but the attraction of gays to sportsmen, back then, was equally potent.

GIU Continues in Part 13

For previous posts about Guys In Uniform Studio and Royale Studio, click on the GIU/Royale label below

Boy to Man - Will Clark

Will Clark's transition from boy to man has produced some memorable images along the way.
This post follows his journey.


Will Clark
I love a man who can fill out a Tee shirt - and Y-fronts.


Will Clark - Sweet Youth

 I love the chunky bulkiness of Will's torso,
which somehow seems at odds with the college boy haircut.


Will Clark - Older and Thoughtful

Looking a little sad and weary here, strangely alluring.


Will Clark - Knowing Looks

More lighthearted and mischievous - and a sign of things to come - bit of facial hair

Will Clark - Salty Dog

Tattoos and piercings make their appearance, coming of age?