Halloween costumes are typically on the spooky side, but if you're looking for a real scare, here's a collection of 13 vintage photos of Halloween costumes from the 1950s that will leave you feeling frightened.
October 31, 2015
23 Beautiful Color Photos of Native Americans in the Late 19th and Early 20th Centuries
As a filmmaker, Paul Ratner is drawn to images. His first love of film came from old black and white movies by world cinema auteurs like the jarring works of Bergman, Eisenstein, Bunuel, Lang, Dreyer, Ozu and other great masters.
“For a while in college, it felt almost like cheating to watch a film made in color,” he said. “As I grew older, I accepted color and now find it hard to stick to a monochrome diet. Life seems too resplendent for just one tone.”
While making Moses on the Mesa, a film about a German-Jewish immigrant who fell in love with a Native-American woman and became governor of her tribe of Acoma Pueblo in New Mexico in the late 1800s, Ratner developed a passion for researching old photographs of indigenous people.
“Many of the photographs I found were colored by hand, as color film was only the domain of experimentalists until 1930s (thanks, Kodachrome!) Painting on black and white prints was an art in and of itself, and many of the colorized photos exhibit true talent which preserved for us the truer likeness of the people many a hundred years ago thought were vanishing. Of course, Native Americans have not vanished despite the harrowing efforts of so many. They are growing stronger as a people, but a way of life they left behind is often only found in these photos.”
“For a while in college, it felt almost like cheating to watch a film made in color,” he said. “As I grew older, I accepted color and now find it hard to stick to a monochrome diet. Life seems too resplendent for just one tone.”
While making Moses on the Mesa, a film about a German-Jewish immigrant who fell in love with a Native-American woman and became governor of her tribe of Acoma Pueblo in New Mexico in the late 1800s, Ratner developed a passion for researching old photographs of indigenous people.
“Many of the photographs I found were colored by hand, as color film was only the domain of experimentalists until 1930s (thanks, Kodachrome!) Painting on black and white prints was an art in and of itself, and many of the colorized photos exhibit true talent which preserved for us the truer likeness of the people many a hundred years ago thought were vanishing. Of course, Native Americans have not vanished despite the harrowing efforts of so many. They are growing stronger as a people, but a way of life they left behind is often only found in these photos.”
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| Minnehaha. 1904. Photochrom print by the Detroit Photographic Co. Source - Library of Congress. |
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| Amos Two Bulls. Lakota. Photo by Gertrude Käsebier. 1900. Source - Library of Congress. |
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| A medicine man with patient. Taos Pueblo, New Mexico. 1905. Photo by Carl Moon. Source - Huntington Digital Library. |
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| Chief James A. Garfield. Jicarilla Apache. 1899. Photo by William Henry Jackson. Source - Montana State University Library. |
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| Bone Necklace. Oglala Lakota Chief. 1899. Photo by Heyn Photo. Source - Library of Congress. |
20 Vintage Color Photos of Vehicles on the Streets of Tokyo in 1957
Here is a small collection of 20 vintage color found photos showing vehicles on the streets of Tokyo in 1957.
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| A blue and white train in Tokyo, 1957 |
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| A bunch of Japan Post delivery vehicles parking at a post office in Tokyo, 1957 |
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| A cool old convertible car on the street in Tokyo in 1957 |
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| A delivery rickshaw on the street in Tokyo, 1957 |
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| A green and orange train making its way through Tokyo, 1957 |
16 Incredible Stories You Never Knew About the RMS Titanic
You may already know that the Titanic hit an iceberg at 11:40 p.m. on the night of April 14, 1912 and sunk just over two-and-a-half hours later, but do you know the following 16 facts about the Titanic?
1. The Weather Was Perfect
It's easy to picture the Titanic battling huge waves at sea, with the fog and rain obscuring the iceberg that famously consigned her to a watery grave. In reality, the opposite was true. As the Titanic sailed toward her doom, the weather was perfectly, eerily calm. With no wind or waves, the sea was stretched out like a flawless mirror, the only ripples in the water coming from the ship herself as she glided along. And that perfect weather may just have been her doom.
2. It Was on Fire the Whole Trip
Shortly before her fateful maiden voyage, a fire started in the Titanic's coal bunkers. As revealed during the British inquiry into the disaster, the flames were still raging when the ship set out for New York, creating a potentially dangerous situation for those on board.
According to surviving stoker J. Dilley: “We didn't get that fire out and among the stokers there was talk that we'd have to empty the big coal bunkers after we’d put the passengers off in New York and then call on the fireboats there to help us put out the fire.” That didn’t turn out to be necessary, since Dilley claimed the flames were extinguished when the iceberg ripped through the hull and flooded the bunkers with seawater.
3. The Captain Failed His Navigation Test
Edward John Smith, captain of the Titanic, has been the subject of countless myths since the fateful night when he went down with his ship. Many even believe that he personally saved a child's life before disappearing into the Atlantic. However, it has also been alleged that this heroic picture isn't the whole truth.
Not only did Captain Smith ignore several ice warnings and fail to keep the ship at a reasonable speed, he also allowed lifeboats to leave the ship half-empty—the first boat to depart had just 27 passengers in 65 seats. Smith additionally failed to issue a clear “abandon ship” order, which led to many passengers not realizing the gravity of the situation they found themselves in.
In 2012, it was revealed that Smith had actually failed his navigation exams the first time he took them. He did eventually pass in 1888, but that initial failure was perhaps a bad omen. Ironically, before the Titanic disaster, Smith had actually earned himself the nickname of “the millionaire's captain” due to his reputation for smooth reliability.
4. Canceled Lifeboat Drill
Originally, a lifeboat drill was scheduled to take place on board the Titanic on April 14, 1912 - the day the Titanic hit the iceberg. However, for an unknown reason, Captain Smith canceled the drill. Many believe that had the drill taken place, more lives could have been saved.
5. Lifeboats Not Full
Not only were there not enough lifeboats to save everyone on board, most of the lifeboats that were launched off the Titanic were not filled to capacity. For instance, the first lifeboat to launch, Lifeboat 7 from the starboard side, only carried 24 people, despite having a capacity of 65 (two additional people later transferred to Lifeboat 7 from Lifeboat 5). However, it was Lifeboat 1 that carried the fewest people - only seven crew and five passengers (a total of 12 people) despite having a capacity for 40.
1. The Weather Was Perfect
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| The Titanic sets sail from England |
It's easy to picture the Titanic battling huge waves at sea, with the fog and rain obscuring the iceberg that famously consigned her to a watery grave. In reality, the opposite was true. As the Titanic sailed toward her doom, the weather was perfectly, eerily calm. With no wind or waves, the sea was stretched out like a flawless mirror, the only ripples in the water coming from the ship herself as she glided along. And that perfect weather may just have been her doom.
2. It Was on Fire the Whole Trip
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| Location of where the Titanic sank |
Shortly before her fateful maiden voyage, a fire started in the Titanic's coal bunkers. As revealed during the British inquiry into the disaster, the flames were still raging when the ship set out for New York, creating a potentially dangerous situation for those on board.
According to surviving stoker J. Dilley: “We didn't get that fire out and among the stokers there was talk that we'd have to empty the big coal bunkers after we’d put the passengers off in New York and then call on the fireboats there to help us put out the fire.” That didn’t turn out to be necessary, since Dilley claimed the flames were extinguished when the iceberg ripped through the hull and flooded the bunkers with seawater.
3. The Captain Failed His Navigation Test
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| Captain Edward John Smith |
Edward John Smith, captain of the Titanic, has been the subject of countless myths since the fateful night when he went down with his ship. Many even believe that he personally saved a child's life before disappearing into the Atlantic. However, it has also been alleged that this heroic picture isn't the whole truth.
Not only did Captain Smith ignore several ice warnings and fail to keep the ship at a reasonable speed, he also allowed lifeboats to leave the ship half-empty—the first boat to depart had just 27 passengers in 65 seats. Smith additionally failed to issue a clear “abandon ship” order, which led to many passengers not realizing the gravity of the situation they found themselves in.
In 2012, it was revealed that Smith had actually failed his navigation exams the first time he took them. He did eventually pass in 1888, but that initial failure was perhaps a bad omen. Ironically, before the Titanic disaster, Smith had actually earned himself the nickname of “the millionaire's captain” due to his reputation for smooth reliability.
4. Canceled Lifeboat Drill
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| Rescued lifeboats, all that is left from the great ship Titanic, New York, 1912. |
Originally, a lifeboat drill was scheduled to take place on board the Titanic on April 14, 1912 - the day the Titanic hit the iceberg. However, for an unknown reason, Captain Smith canceled the drill. Many believe that had the drill taken place, more lives could have been saved.
5. Lifeboats Not Full
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| Last lifeboat successfully launched from the Titanic, 15 April 1912. |
Not only were there not enough lifeboats to save everyone on board, most of the lifeboats that were launched off the Titanic were not filled to capacity. For instance, the first lifeboat to launch, Lifeboat 7 from the starboard side, only carried 24 people, despite having a capacity of 65 (two additional people later transferred to Lifeboat 7 from Lifeboat 5). However, it was Lifeboat 1 that carried the fewest people - only seven crew and five passengers (a total of 12 people) despite having a capacity for 40.
October 30, 2015
Unusual Vintage Images of American Groups Before the 1950s
Here are 11 unusual vintage images of American crowds, rallies, assemblies, teams, organizations... from W. M. Hunt's private collection “Hunt’s Three Ring Circus: American Groups Before 1950,” all made before the 1950s.
Over the years, Hunt has collected hundreds of group photos. He finds some of them on eBay or through dealers. Others come to him from friends, who will snap a picture of a photo for sale at a flea market and ask him if he wants it.
Over the years, Hunt has collected hundreds of group photos. He finds some of them on eBay or through dealers. Others come to him from friends, who will snap a picture of a photo for sale at a flea market and ask him if he wants it.
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| E. J. Kelty, Century Photographers, Hunt’s Three Ring Circus, Northport, Long Island, New York, June 26, 1931. |
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| Unidentified Photographer, Ramona, Rebekah Lodge, No. 83, I. O.O.F., late 19th–early 20th century. |
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| The Press Department, Bell Telephone Department, New York World’s Fair, 1939. |
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| Unidentified Photographer, Buy V Bonds, 1940s. |
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| Fred Hess & Son, Miss America Pageant—Convention Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, Sept. 7–12, 1953. |
25 Fun and Interesting Vintage Halloween Ads From Between the 1930s and 1960s
Some of us more finely aged folks remember some very classy, humorous and sometimes downright campy vintage Halloween ads from childhood, lets look at some ads and commercials that might bring back some memories...
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| Crisco, 1936 |
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| Brewing Industry Foundation, 1944 |
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| Wurlitzer, 1947 |
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| Blatz Beer, 1947 |
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| Old Gold, 1953 |
37 Beautiful Vintage Photos of Elizabeth Taylor in Bathing Suits in the 1940s and 1950s
Elizabeth Taylor in bathing suits in the 1940s-50s through 37 beautiful vintage photos, some of them are rarely seen ones.
Funny Vintage Pictures From the 1910s Show How to Lace One's Corsets With a Foot in the Back
These vintage pictures show that long-lasting tradition of lacing one’s corsets with a foot in the back. Since so many corset wearers have bad backs, this is hardly recommended!
Uncanny Diagrams From 1895 Depict Gynecological Gymnastics From Outer Space
A set of rather uncanny diagrams from Die Heilgymnastik in der Gynaekologie: und die mechanische Behandlung von Erkrankungen des Uterus und seiner Adnexe nach Thure Brandt (1895), translated from German as “The physiotherapy in gynecology and the mechanical treatment of diseases of the uterus and its appendages by Thure Brandt”. As the title implies the gynecological exercises are based on those invented by the Swedish obstetrician and gynecologist, Thure Brandt (1819-1895).
Brandt began treating women in 1861, combining massage, stretching, and general exercise as a form of treating gynecological conditions. After his methods were examined in Jena by German gynecologists in 1886, they became widely used in Europe.
The images in this particular text are eye-catching today less for the gynecological technique they depict but more the bizarre similarity between the rakishly thin figures employed in demonstrating the exercises (no doubt an attempt to de-sexualise the images) and the figure of the so-called “Grey Alien” – thin body, huge head, large eyes – which wouldn’t hit popular consciousness for another 65 years. (via The Public Domain Review)
Brandt began treating women in 1861, combining massage, stretching, and general exercise as a form of treating gynecological conditions. After his methods were examined in Jena by German gynecologists in 1886, they became widely used in Europe.
The images in this particular text are eye-catching today less for the gynecological technique they depict but more the bizarre similarity between the rakishly thin figures employed in demonstrating the exercises (no doubt an attempt to de-sexualise the images) and the figure of the so-called “Grey Alien” – thin body, huge head, large eyes – which wouldn’t hit popular consciousness for another 65 years. (via The Public Domain Review)
October 29, 2015
Professor Welton’s Boxing Cats (1894) – The World's First Ever “Cat Video”
This film, featuring two cats wearing boxing gloves and packing a punch, was filmed in Thomas Edison’s studio in 1894.
The performance was part of Professor Henry Welton’s “cat circus”, which toured the United States both before and after appearing in Edison’s film. Performances included cats riding small bicycles and doing somersaults, with the boxing match being the highlight of the show. As for why the cats were filmed (apart from being an early example of people enjoying footage of cats), it might have possibly been a publicity stunt to advertise the show. It could also quite possibly be the first ever “cat video” (thought, of course, before the days of video).
(From: Library of Congress, via The Public Domain Review)
The performance was part of Professor Henry Welton’s “cat circus”, which toured the United States both before and after appearing in Edison’s film. Performances included cats riding small bicycles and doing somersaults, with the boxing match being the highlight of the show. As for why the cats were filmed (apart from being an early example of people enjoying footage of cats), it might have possibly been a publicity stunt to advertise the show. It could also quite possibly be the first ever “cat video” (thought, of course, before the days of video).
(From: Library of Congress, via The Public Domain Review)
This Is What America’s Immigrants Looked Like When They Arrived on Ellis Island
Between 1892-1954, Ellis Island served as an immigration inspection station for millions of immigrants arriving into the United States. The first immigrant to pass though the station was 17-year-old Annie Moore from Cork, Ireland, one of the 700 immigrants arriving on the opening day on January 1, 1892.
These images of people wearing their folk costumes were taken by amateur photographer Augustus Sherman who worked as the Chief Registry Clerk on Ellis Island from 1892 until 1925. The people in the photographs were most likely detainees who were waiting for money, travel tickets or someone to come and collect them from the island.
These images of people wearing their folk costumes were taken by amateur photographer Augustus Sherman who worked as the Chief Registry Clerk on Ellis Island from 1892 until 1925. The people in the photographs were most likely detainees who were waiting for money, travel tickets or someone to come and collect them from the island.
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| Norwegian woman. |
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| Slovakian women. |
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| Danish man. |
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| Albanian soldier. |
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| Italian woman. |
