Vintage | MONOVISIONS - Black & White Photography Magazine

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.…

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…

Flying Train “Wuppertal Schwebebahn” in Germany, 1902

15 July 2021 0

Construction on the actual Schwebebahn began in 1898, overseen by the government’s master builder, Wilhelm Feldmann. On 24 October 1900, Emperor Wilhelm II participated in a monorail trial run. In 1901 the railway came into operation. It opened in sections:…

Vintage: Historic B&W photos of Brussels in 1908

30 June 2021 0

During the 19th century, the population of Brussels grew considerably; from about 80,000 to more than 625,000 people for the city and its surroundings. The Senne had become a serious health hazard, and from 1867 to 1871, under the tenure…

Vintage: Portraits by Ruth Harriet Louise (1920s)

28 April 2020 0

Ruth Harriet Louise (1903 – 1940) was an American professional photographer, the first woman photographer active in Hollywood; she ran Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s portrait studio from 1925 to 1930. Louise began working as a portrait photographer in 1922, working out of a…

Vintage: Three Eyed Cats by Weegee

20 April 2020 0

Arthur Fellig, known by his pseudonym Weegee was a photographer and photojournalist, known for his stark black and white photography. The three eyed cat meaning relates to the symbolism of the mythical creature that appears in many ancient spiritual texts.…

Vintage: New York by Andreas Feininger (1940s)

15 April 2020 0

In advance of World War II, in 1939, Andreas Feininger immigrated to the U.S. where he established himself as a freelance photographer. In 1943 he joined the staff of Life magazine, an association that lasted until 1962. Feininger became famous…

Vintage: Young Winston Churchill (1884-1904)

28 December 2019 0

Churchill was born at the family’s ancestral home, Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, on 30 November 1874, at which time the United Kingdom was the dominant world power. Direct descendants of the Dukes of Marlborough, his family were among the highest…

Vintage: The Forth Bridge Construction (1890s)

22 December 2019 0

Construction of the bridge began in 1882 and it was opened on 4 March 1890 by the Duke of Rothesay, the future Edward VII. The bridge spans the Forth between the villages of South Queensferry and North Queensferry and has…

Vinatge: Portraits by Will Burgdorf (1920s)

18 December 2019 0

Will Burgdorf (1905 – 1944) was a German photographer. Went to Dresden at the beginning of the 1920s, where he completed his training in the studio of Bruno Wiehr, back to his hometown in the late 1920s still a teenager.…

Vinatge: Portraits of Gloria Grahame (1940s-1950s)

14 December 2019 0

Gloria Grahame (1923 – 1981), known professionally as Gloria Grahame, was an American stage, film, and television actress and singer. She began her acting career in theatre and in 1944 made her first film for MGM. Despite a featured role…

Vintage: El Helicoide Construction (1950s)

8 December 2019 0

El Helicoide is built on a hill in Roca Tarpeya between the parishes of San Pedro and San Agustín, in the extension of the avenues Armed Forces, President Medina Angarita, and Nueva Granada. It has the shape of a three-sided…

Vintage: Portraits of Dolores Costello – Silent Movie Star

4 December 2019 0

Dolores Costello (1903 – 1979) was an American film actress who achieved her greatest success during the era of silent movies. She had a younger sister, Helene, and the two made their first film appearances in the years 1909–1915 as…

Vintage: Portraits of James Cagney

30 November 2019 0

James Cagney (1899 – 1986) was an American actor and dancer, both on stage and in film. Known for his consistently energetic performances, distinctive vocal style, and deadpan comic timing, he won acclaim and major awards for a wide variety…

Vintage: Fiat Rooftop Test Track in Turin (1920s)

26 November 2019 0

The Lingotto building in Turin, Italy, once housed a Fiat factory. Construction started in 1916 and the building opened in 1923. The design (by young architect Matté Trucco) was unusual in that it had five floors, with raw materials going…

Vintage: New York’s original Waldorf-Astoria Hotel (1903)

18 November 2019 0

The original Waldorf-Astoria was among America’s first big hotels. When it was built during the Victorian era, and for years thereafter, it was considered the finest hotel in the world — and it soon became the most famous, for its…

Vintage: America by Jack Delano (1940s)

12 November 2019 0

After graduating from the PAFA, Delano proposed a photographic project to the Federal Art Project: a study of mining conditions in the Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania anthracite coal area. Delano sent sample pictures to Roy Stryker and applied for a job…