Bedraggled rogues gallery of American criminals from the 1940s revealed in newly unearthed police mug shots which are now up for auction

  • The faces of Americans in police mug shots from the  1940s are up for auction
  • The collection includes 24 pairs of mugshots but little is known about them
  • The old pictures  will be up for auction in December in Cirencester, near Oxford

The sorry faces of America's long forgotten ne'er do wells captured in captivating police mugs shots from the 1940s are up for auction.

Little is known about the images - other than the collection of bedraggled faces were taken by US police officers during World War II and shortly after it ended. 

The 24 pairs of incredibly unusual mugshots, valued between £100 to £150 are up for auction on December 16 at Dominic Winter Auction house in Cirencester, near Oxford. 

Chris Albury, a Director at Dominic Winter Auctioneers, said: 'I've seen similar lots to this occasionally at auctions, where they have been able to name the police department or who they were.

'But in this case there's nothing on the back or front of these to give any context.'  

A man with messy hair and a dimple on his chin stares into the camera during a mug shot taken by police officers in 1947

A man with messy hair and a dimple on his chin stares into the camera during a mug shot taken by police officers in 1947In a rarity for police police mug shots, a woman with short hair pinned back from her face smiles at the camera in 1945

In a rarity for police police mug shots, a woman with short hair pinned back from her face smiles at the camera in 1945

This black man looks down and does not make eye contact with the camera as he looks downcast in the mug shot taken in 1949

This black man looks down and does not make eye contact with the camera as he looks downcast in the mug shot taken in 1949

A woman, wearing dark lipstick and an expensive looking bow stares into the camera as she is pictured in 1946

A woman, wearing dark lipstick and an expensive looking bow stares into the camera as she is pictured in 1946

A black woman, with her hair pinned back and a patterned top, appears to have plasters placed on her face from an injury as she is pictured in 1942

A black woman, with her hair pinned back and a patterned top, appears to have plasters placed on her face from an injury as she is pictured in 1942

A man, who looks like he has been woken up by police, looks angrily at the camera as he is pictured in 1944. He is wearing a white vest and a beaded necklace

A man, who looks like he has been woken up by police, looks angrily at the camera as he is pictured in 1944. He is wearing a white vest and a beaded necklace 

Bruised and battered, with a cut above his left eyebrow, this man looks up at the photographer as his picture is taken in 1943

Bruised and battered, with a cut above his left eyebrow, this man looks up at the photographer as his picture is taken in 1943

A man with freshly cut blonde hair has cuts to his face and appears to have blood on his shirt on his collar. The American smiles into the camera in a mug shot taken in 1942

A man with freshly cut blonde hair has cuts to his face and appears to have blood on his shirt on his collar. The American smiles into the camera in a mug shot taken in 1942

A black man appears to have bruising on his nose as he stares into the camera as he is pictured in a mug shot in 1942

A black man appears to have bruising on his nose as he stares into the camera as he is pictured in a mug shot in 1942

A black man has a white bandage placed on his top lip, possibly after being hit, and looks ahead in the mug shot taken in 1947

A black man has a white bandage placed on his top lip, possibly after being hit, and looks ahead in the mug shot taken in 1947

The photographing of criminals began in the 1840s only a few years after the invention of cameras, but it was not until 1888 that a French police officer Alphonse Bertillon standardised the process.  

Mr Albury added: 'They're very intriguing to look at and one cant help but start wandering what had happened.

'Whether they were victims, perpetrators or both in some nasty scenes back in the 1940s - we don't know.

'I'm absolutely positive that there will be people hovering on these mouses online looking out for these.

'The whole lot is valued between £100-150, but it's hard to say what they might go for.

'We've got them modestly estimated but I'd be surprised If they didn't make on average £10 a piece, which takes the total over £200.'

A man wearing a shirt and jacket looks as if he is trying not to cry as he stares angrily into the camera in a mug shot taken in 1943

A man wearing a shirt and jacket looks as if he is trying not to cry as he stares angrily into the camera in a mug shot taken in 1943

A man, who appears to have a black eye which is shut, is pictured by police in a mug shot in 1942

A man, who appears to have a black eye which is shut, is pictured by police in a mug shot in 1942

A woman wearing dark lipstick and with her hair pinned up looks up, possibly towards the photographer, during a police mug shot in 1946

A woman wearing dark lipstick and with her hair pinned up looks up, possibly towards the photographer, during a police mug shot in 1946

A black man, with one white pupil - most likely caused by an infection- looks away from the camera as he is pictured in a mug shot in 1942

 A black man, with one white pupil - most likely caused by an infection- looks away from the camera as he is pictured in a mug shot in 1942

A man, wearing a dark coat, looks downcast as he is pictured by police for a mug shot in 1945

A man, wearing a dark coat, looks downcast as he is pictured by police for a mug shot in 1945

A woman with curly hair looks tired as she looks above the camera during a mug shot in 1947

A woman with curly hair looks tired as she looks above the camera during a mug shot in 1947

A white man with balding hair stares angrily ahead as he is pictured my police in 1945

A white man with balding hair stares angrily ahead as he is pictured my police in 1945

A black woman, who appears to have a plaster behind her right ear, looks vacant as she is pictured by police in 1945

A black woman, who appears to have a plaster behind her right ear, looks vacant as she is pictured by police in 1945

Bruised, battered and with blood on his face, a man blinks just as his mug shot is taken by police in 1942

Bruised, battered and with blood on his face, a man blinks just as his mug shot is taken by police in 1942

An elegant-looking woman appears to have bruising to her cheeks as she is pictured by police in 1945

An elegant-looking woman appears to have bruising to her cheeks as she is pictured by police in 1945

A man wearing a white shirt and a jacket has one eye partially closed in his mug shot taken in 1944

A man wearing a white shirt and a jacket has one eye partially closed in his mug shot taken in 1944

A man, wearing an over-shirt and a dark jacket, looks downcast as he is pictured by police in 1945

A man, wearing an over-shirt and a dark jacket, looks downcast as he is pictured by police in 1945

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