Charles Guyette

This article is part of 'The Legends Project'

As part of the "Legends Project", Charles Guyette has been recognized as an BDSM Icon
for the work they have done to make the BDSM/LGBT/Leather communities what they are today and awarded a
Certificate of Appreciation

Charles Guyette was a businessman, whose previous ventures had been in burlesque and theatrical supplies, before producing S/M and Fetish material. In the '30s, Guyette became known as the "G-string king" because of the costumes he made and sold to burlesque performers. He was the main supplier of “strip tease" accessories before the war (1939) and was known as the “G" string King.

In the early 30’s,he and his brother operated a store in New York at 116 E. 11th Street and sold costumes and shoes.

"Charley" Guyette produced SM & Fetish paraphernalia and photography, and was a central figure in mid-century practitioner networks". (Bienvenu 1998 p72) "During the 1930`s and 1940`s, key producers of American Fetishistic Erotica, both underground and mainstream (e.g. fetishistic "Cheesecake" ) were linked directly and indirectly to the social circle surrounding Guyette." (Bienvenu 1998 p72). This is believed to be the earliest known S/M Fetish subcultural network in the United States.

In the early 1930`s, Guyette opened a store on 116 East 11th street, New York , where he and his brother sold costumes and shoes." (Bienvenu 1998 pp 72-73) John Coutts observed that amongst other things in Pre-WWII America that Guyette was, as far as Coutts knew, the only supplier of ultra - high heels.

Amongst the best known fetish photographers of his day, Charles Guyette ran ads that read like:

“Photographs -- Collectors: We have costume studies of all kinds. Lingerie, corsets, high heels, etc. Female boxers and wrestlers in action. Also other types. 5/- per dozen. 30 photos for 10/-. Send cash or International Postal Order. C. Guyette, 116 East 11 Street, New York City." It was the “et cetera" and the “other types" that showed bondage, whipping, and kinky play.

As a photographer, he provided pinup, wrestling, femdom and ponygirl photos. Carlo's ponygirl drawings seem to have been motivated by real-life photos taken by Charley.

By screening the names on his "mailing list", he developed the American Social Circle" which was probably the model for those "secret European societies" of urban-legend and historical lore. The group was not open to "open membership" -- you really needed to know (or be known by) a society member.

They advertised in magazines such as "London Life" as early as February 25, 1933 with Guyettes first contact through correspondence occurring in 1933. Whilst advertising in "London Life", Guyette was also a contributor of content.

Guyette produced a huge amount of material during the 1930`s and early 1940`s. The main photo was distributed by Guyette. The model in the photo is Nativa, wife and business partner of Yva Richard, whose Paris company also sold sex garments.

Like Yva Richard & Diana Slip, he sourced his material from many outside producers. Guyette said that he entered the SM erotica business as a result of a visit, somewhere between 1934 and 1938, by two unknown Germans who made a deal with Guyette to supply him with German crafted fetishistic shoes and quantities of fetishistic photos.

In August 1935, Charley was indicted and he plead guilty to sending obscene material through the US Mail. He served a year and a day in Louisburg, PA jail. Upon release he became publicity shy and ceased advertising in magazines like "London Life". After his stint in jail, it is said that Charlie began collecting and taking care of exotic animals

By the mid 1940`s Guyette was out of the fetish photography business, only supplying costumes through the 1950`s, he appeared to have left the business altogether by the 1960`s.

Compared to material produced in the 1950`s, Guyettes work had an explicit fetishistic and sado-masochistic content, ranging from human ponies to genital torture, and by re-enactment of classic Yva Richard poses with American designed costumes, introduced the beginnings of American SM style.

In the mid-1940s, John Willie was buying photos from Charley for publication in Bizarre magazine. ^[1]