Vintage

Vintage: Downtown Christmas Decorations

19 December 2021 0

Once reliant upon Germany for its ornaments, toys, and even its Christmas customs, America became self-sufficient in the post-War years with Christmas ornaments and toys being manufactured in the United States that were considerably less expensive than their German counterparts. American Christmas customs and traditions such as visits to department store Santas and letter writing to Santa at the North…

Vintage: Christmas in New York City (1910s)

15 December 2021 0

The date of Christmas and some American traditions have pagan roots. In the Roman Empire, December 25th was the day of “natalis solis invict” (the Roman birth of the unconquered sun), and the birthday of Mithras, the Iranian “Sun of Righteousness.” Saturnalia, a Roman festival that honored the sun, lasted from December 17th to December 23rd. The winter solstice, the…

Vintage: Whitby, England in the Late Victorian Era by Francis Meadow Sutcliffe

23 March 2018 0

Francis Meadow Sutcliffe (1853 – 1941) was an English pioneering photographic artist whose work presented an enduring record of life in the seaside town of Whitby, England, and surrounding areas, in the late Victorian era and early 20th century.

Vintage: Daguerreotype Portraits of People born in the late 18th Century (1700s)

14 January 2018 0

Photo collection of mid XIX century Victorian Era Daguerreotype Portraits of People born in the late 18th century (1700s). From the collection of Jesse Cress at flickr

Vintage: Early 20th Century B&W Nudes

29 September 2017 0

Since the first days of photography, the nude was a source of inspiration for those that adopted the new medium. Most of the early images were closely guarded or surreptitiously circulated as violations of the social norms of the time, since the photograph captures real nudity. Many cultures, while accepting nudity in art, shun actual nudity. For example, even an…

Daguerreotype Portraits of Ladies born in the late 18th century (1700s)

26 August 2017 0

Photo collection of mid XIX century Victorian Era Daguerreotype Portraits of Ladies born in the late 18th century (1700s). via jessecollectorfreak @ Flickr

Vintage: Glass Plate Collection from the Illinois State Journal (1929 – 1936)

19 July 2017 0

Raymond Hodde was the Illinois State Journal’s first staff photographer. He began taking pictures for the newspaper in 1929, just a year after Col. Ira Copley bought the Journal and put into place a plan to modernize it and update its plain gray look. That included the use of staff-produced photographs and an end to the practice of publishing pictures…

Vintage: Soldiers during World War I (1914-1918)

1 July 2017 0

Despite the chaotic nature of war, the lives of soldiers followed relatively predictable schedules. Soldiers rose before dawn each morning, around 5 a.m. They performed standing drills called “Stand-to-Arms,” then received a daily ration of rum around 5:30 a.m. Soldiers continued performing standing drills until approximately 7 a.m., when they received breakfast. Breakfast for soldiers typically consisted of bacon and…

Vintage: Glass Plate Collection from the Illinois State Journal (1929 – 1936)

19 May 2017 0

Vintage: Soldiers during World War I (1914-1918)

3 February 2017 0

Life for soldiers in World War I followed a specific routine that involved waking up at around 5 a.m., performing military drills when not engaged in direct combat, eating breakfast, having an early dinner, sleeping briefly, performing more military exercises and then doing physical labor before retiring for the evening. Soldiers in World War I spent most of the time…

Victorian Era Ambrotype Portraits of Children (1850s and 1860s)

7 January 2017 0

Photo collection of mid XIX century Victorian Era Ambrotype Portraits of Children (1850s and 1860s). From the collection of Lisby @ Flickr.

Vintage: Happy New Year (in the past)

31 December 2016 0

Vintage black and white photos of people greeting New Year in the past. We wish you all a very happy new year!

Vintage: historic views of Breslau in the late 19th Century

14 December 2016 0

Breslau became part of the German Empire in 1871, which was established at Versailles in defeated France. The early years were characterized by rapid economic growth, the so-called Gründerzeit, although Breslau was hampered by protectionist policies of its natural markets in Austria-Hungary and Russia and had to turn to the German domestic market. Breslau’s population grew from 208,000 in 1871…

Vintage: historic photos of Calcutta in Colonial India (1903)

8 December 2016 0

Collection of early XX century historic photos of city life of Calcutta in Colonial India (1903).

Historic Mug Shot of criminals from North Shields (1902-1905)

9 November 2016 0

Collection of vintage photographs of prisoners brought before the North Shields Police Court between 1902 and 1905 in the collection of Tyne & Wear Archives.

Vintage: Panama Canal Construction (1904-1914)

28 September 2016 0

By the late nineteenth century, technological advances and commercial pressure allowed construction to begin in earnest. An initial attempt by France to build a sea-level canal failed after a great deal of excavation. This enabled the United States to complete the present canal in 1913 and open it to shipping the following year. The state of Panama was created with…

Vintage: Nudes/Erotica (1920s)

17 September 2016 0

Photo collection of 1920s French postcards of nude women and vintage erotica.

Vintage Postcards of actress Miss Maude Fealy (1900s)

22 August 2016 0

Photo collection of early XX century Vintage Postcards of actress Miss Maude Fealy (1900s). Maude Fealy (1883 – 1971) was an American stage and silent film actress who survived into the talkie era. At the age of three, she performed on stage with her mother and went on to make her Broadway debut in the 1900 production of Quo Vadis,…