On a cold winter day in 1949, a model posed for Mr. Steinberg. Who she was remains a mystery. Mr. Steinberg took his roll of film to one of the shops in the chain of Turners Photography Ltd. in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. Jack Turner had founded this company in the 1940s/50s, and it was a hub for local photography, from portraits to advertising assignments.The photographs, dated 22 January 1949, were never collected. Who was Mr. Steinberg? No one knows. Perhaps a photographer working on behalf of a client, a fashion designer, a kink enthusiast. No trace of him can be found in local archives. Some speculations point to a Jewish/German immigrant (due to the name), possibly having fled the war, but that is pure guesswork.

What makes the photos so mysterious?

The images were ahead of their time for 1949. Great Britain was still in the aftermath of the Second World War. Rationing made luxury fashion scarce, and bondage or fetish photography was strictly taboo. Yet the photos do not appear pornographic. The dress accentuates the feminine curves, while the bondage adds a dimension in which control and surrender dance together in an elegant way.The photos only surfaced in 2010 in online archives, thanks to the digitisation of the Tyne & Wear Archives.

A Refined Vision: Stylish Bondage

This series marks an early quest for stylish bondage, a refined, almost theatrical approach that seamlessly blends glamour and restraint. In stark contrast to the later, rawer pin-up and fetish works of Irving Klaw (1950s, New York), which often radiated a more direct, pulpy sensuality, Mr. Steinberg’s model stays firmly within the realm of elegant fashion photography. No cheap thrill, but a subtle exploration of power and surrender, wrapped in silk and rope.