The allure of Christmas transcends time, but few eras have captured its true essence quite like the enchanting decades of the 1940s and 1950s. In those post-war years, the festive season was steeped in a kind-hearted spirit and simple joys, creating end…
These vintage photographs of Snow King chairlifts taken between the 1950s and 1970s show people riding in a very unsafe way without deploying any safety bars or other protections. While these chairlifts were actually dangerous, there's also a forced persp…
In the 1930s, make-up legend Max Factor came up with an ingenious invention combining phrenology, cosmetics, and a pseudo-scientific approach to analyze a woman's facial flaws. This is the Beauty Micrometer, a Clockwork Orange-style device that claimed to …
Deauville is regarded as the "queen of the Norman beaches" and one of the most prestigious seaside resorts in all of France. As the closest seaside resort to Paris, the city and its region of the Côte Fleurie (Flowery Coast) has long been home to French hig…
With the birth of Émilie, Yvonne, Cécile, Marie, and Annette Dionne in 1934, the province of Ontario, coupled with Canada, discovered a “human goldmine”. From the moment the Quints were born, they were subjected to awful living standards and were abused by …
American photographer Harry Whittier Frees created novelty postcards with his photographs of animals placed in human situations. This photo collection from the 1910s features bizarre but adorable animals dressed and posed as humans with props, often with ca…
These iconic photographs were taken the day Soviet and American troops met at the Elbe River, near Torgau in Germany, marking an important step toward the end of World War II in Europe. The first image shows American Lieutenant William Robertson and Sov…
In the 1950s, visionary business entrepreneur Lawrence Freiman opened a new concept store that tried to reinvent the way people purchased things. "Vis-O-Matic" was the Amazon Prime of its era: a store equipped with televisions where customers sat down, orde…
The Ericofon, created by the Swedish phone giant L.M. Ericsson in the 1950s was the lightest phone on the market at the time of its introduction. It revolutionized the look of this common household object by concealing its dial on the bottom of the base, ma…
These photos taken by photographer Gordon Parks capture the Fulton Fish Market in lower Manhattan and document the path of a fresh catch from the boats of New England fishermen to the vendors’ stands. The fish market was originally a wing of the Fulton Mark…
Spurred by the instant nationwide success of blended cigarette brands such as Camel, Lucky Strike and Chesterfield cigarette companies spend millions on advertising and promotion to encourage smoking. Tobacco marketers featured healthy, vigorous, fun-loving…
This article displays an impressive photo collection of vintage car advertisements in the late 1950s and 1960s. The 1960s automobiles belonged to a distinct decade of automobile history with the advent of economy, muscle and pony cars. The 1960s saw the …
In the world of glamor and allure, where beauty reigns supreme, one name shines brightly: June Wilkinson. During the late 1950s and early 1960s, Wilkinson captivated audiences with her exquisite looks and undeniable charm. She emerged as one of the era's…
These interesting photos, captured by photographer Charles Percy Pickering between 1863 and 1868, illustrate the ability of alcohol to transform a fine upstanding citizen into a staggering wreck. Across the five pictures, an upright, dignified gentleman s…
These photos, taken by Farm Security Administration photographer Arthur Rothstein, show cowboys and dudes from the Quarter Circle U Ranch in Big Horn County, Montana as they gather their herds for the seasonal roundup. Roundups were held within a specific r…
At Tartu University in Estonia, it was a tradition for students to hold “pledge theatres” in late autumn which consisted of staging plays as rites of initiation for soon-to-be members. The all-male pledges were expected to play both male and female roles an…
These photos, taken from a book on phrenology, are packed with strange theories and a whole host of strange illustrations. Published by Chicago phrenologist L.A. Vaught in 1902, the book lays out the 42 known elements of human nature (including Acquisitiven…
Ry-Krisp, a brand of rye crisp bread, was founded by Arvid and Erik Peterson, who immigrated to the United States from Sweden, and brought with them a recipe for traditional Swedish “crisp bread.” Crisp bread or knackerbrod was a staple of the 19th-century …
Bettie Page ( born in 1923) was an American model who gained notoriety in the 1950s for her pin-up photos. Popularly referred to as the Queen of Pinups, she was famous for her free-spirited demeanor and unabashed sensuality. Her trademark short bangs, …
In 1945, Todd Webb was discharged from the U.S. Navy following World War II, and landed in New York. With a keen fascination for the bustling humanity of Manhattan, he took his large-format camera out to the streets, capturing its people and places in all w…