Old Photo Gallery

#15 Ken Reid’s World-Wide Weirdies: A Grotesque and Glorious Journey Through the Bizarre Imaginations Around the World

A blast of lurid color and pulp-era mischief greets the eye in this artwork from Ken Reid’s “World-Wide Weirdies,” where the words “WORLD-WIDE WEIRDIES” arc above a chaotic scene labeled “LONDON SCAREPORT.” The circular vignette plays like a travel poster…

#1 Marion Forde poster by Charles Gesmar – 1926.

A pale, stylized dancer stretches across a deep black field, arms flung wide as if mid-leap, while rose-colored petals and looping ribbons whirl around her in a theatrical storm. The figure’s sleek silhouette, sculpted hair, and stage-ready poise embody the…

#2 Don’t throw chewing gum on the platform (September 1976).

Bold Japanese lettering dominates the upper half of the design, delivering a blunt instruction: don’t toss chewing gum onto the platform. Beneath it, a caped superhero recoils mid-stride, arms raised in alarm as his boot lands in a sticky, stringing…

#9 A Photographic Tribute to Dick Haymes from the 1940s and 50s #9 Celebrities

Celebrities

#16 Chishō Takaoka: Life Story and Beautiful photos of a the Nine-Fingered Geisha #16 Celebrities

Celebrities

#4 Margaret Lockwood as a prisoner-of-war with Paul Henreid in the movie ‘Gestapo’, 1940.

Celebrities

#15 A Greek woman checks in with the village patrol for the evening curfew during the Greek Civil War, 1948.

At the threshold of a small wooden guard post, a village patrolman studies a slip of paper while a local woman waits, bundled against the chill and bent under the weight of gathered firewood. Another uniformed man leans from the…

#31 Blown up bridge between Joannina and Konitsa by the Democratic Army, Greek Civil War, 1948.

A jagged gap interrupts the road between Ioannina and Konitsa, where a steel truss bridge has been torn from its supports and left skewed over the cut in the terrain. The masonry abutments still stand at the edges, but the…

#9 A weary protester pleads with a People’s Liberation Army (PLA) officer sitting in his truck to not crack down on the student demonstrators.

Pressed against the chipped green door of a military truck, a weary protester leans in close, his face tightened with exhaustion as his hands clutch the metal and the side mirror for balance. Behind the windshield sits a People’s Liberation…

#15 Rue des Martyrs towards Notre-Dame-de-Lorette, with left rue de la Tour d’Auvergne by Stéphane Passet

Along Rue des Martyrs, the city falls away toward Notre-Dame-de-Lorette, framed by tall Parisian façades and a widening perspective that draws the eye down the street. The intersection with Rue de la Tour d’Auvergne opens on the left, while a…

#31 Paris (Xe arr.) by Leon Auguste

Along the stone façade of a Paris building in the 10th arrondissement, everyday commerce spills onto the sidewalk in a scene that feels both orderly and improvised. A woman stands beside a spread of papers laid directly on the pavement,…

#47 Parade of foreign delegations on the deck of Double for the funeral of Marshal Foch, view taken towards the quai de Montebello.

Along the riverside near the quai de Montebello, a dense parade of foreign delegations advances in formal order, their standards and flags rising above dark coats and uniforms. The colorization lends a striking immediacy to the scene: warm tones in…

Pianos, Pin-Ups, and Party Tunes: Exploring the Wild World of Honky-Tonk Records Cover Art

#15 Pianos, Pin-Ups, and Party Tunes: Exploring the Wild World of Honky-Tonk Records #15 Cover Art

Nick Nicholas’ “Honky Tonk Piano Party No 2” bursts with the kind of lived-in mischief that honky-tonk records loved to promise before the needle ever dropped. The ornate frame and bold red lettering feel almost old-fashioned and proper, yet the…

Everybody Was Kung Fu Fighting: Exploring the Heyday of Martial Arts Mags in the 1970s and 1980s Co

#11 Everybody Was Kung Fu Fighting: Exploring the Heyday of Martial Arts Mags in the 1970s and 1980s #11 Co

Bold, high-contrast cover art like this issue of *Fighting Stars* speaks to the magazine-rack magic that powered martial arts culture in the late 1970s and beyond. The oversized masthead, the punchy cover lines, and the dramatic, close-up pose in a…

Blood, Masks, and Glory: A Visual Tour Through Lucha Libre Magazine Covers of the 1970s Cover Art

#15 Blood, Masks, and Glory: A Visual Tour Through Lucha Libre Magazine Covers of the 1970s #15 Cover Art

Bold color blocks and oversized lettering rush across this 1970s *Lucha Libre* magazine cover, turning the page into a ringside billboard for spectacle. The masked wrestler stands centered in a classic ready stance—arms slightly raised, chest forward, legs braced—while the…

The Story of Emilie Flöge’s Fashion Career Illustrated with Rare Photos Fashion &; Culture

#8 The Story of Emilie Flöge’s Fashion Career Illustrated with Rare Photos #8 Fashion & Culture

Beneath a canopy of trees, a lone figure stands in a grassy garden, head slightly bowed as if caught mid-thought. The long gown falls in a smooth, uninterrupted line before pooling into a soft train, its sheen suggesting a carefully…

#20 Sunny Harnett, Vogue, February 1956

Fashion & Culture

#4 Gitta Schilling in Senator Class airplane decor, 1958.

Gitta Schilling steps into the frame amid the plush calm of Senator Class airplane decor, her tailored red ensemble doing as much talking as the cabin itself. The polished finish of the interior—curved partitions, soft seating, and carefully arranged lighting—signals…

When Humor Was Unfiltered: A Look Back at Vintage Funny Moments Funny

#15 When Humor Was Unfiltered: A Look Back at Vintage Funny Moments #15 Funny

A pair of floppy-eared hounds turn an ordinary indoor moment into pure slapstick: one dog has gently (or not so gently) taken hold of the other’s long ear, stretching it outward like a rubbery prop. The “victim” sits squarely facing…

#31 When Humor Was Unfiltered: A Look Back at Vintage Funny Moments #31 Funny

A lion’s open-mouthed roar meets a man’s wide-eyed grin in a split-second of showman chaos, the kind of vintage funny moment that still makes viewers do a double take. The scene feels staged yet barely contained—part circus bravado, part “what…

The Art of Breaking the Ice in the 19th Century: A Deep Dive into Humorous Acquaintance Cards Funny

#15 The Art of Breaking the Ice in the 19th Century: A Deep Dive into Humorous Acquaintance Cards #15 Funny

Wry verse and a simple ink drawing do most of the work on this 19th-century “acquaintance card,” a pocket-sized conversation starter meant to be handed over with a smile. A lanky, top-hatted gentleman slumps at the left edge of the…

Doctor Who’s Daleks in the 1960s: Their First Appearance and Rise as Iconic Sci-Fi Villains Inventio

#8 Doctor Who’s Daleks in the 1960s: Their First Appearance and Rise as Iconic Sci-Fi Villains #8 Inventio

On a busy city pavement, two Daleks stand like metal monuments while passers-by—children in short trousers, adults in coats, and curious onlookers—circle in close, half-amused and half-wary. Their domed heads and slatted “eye” sections catch the light, and the familiar…

#5 NACA High Speed Flight Station “Computer Room”, 1949.

Inside the NACA High Speed Flight Station “Computer Room” in 1949, the work of flight research looks more like a bustling office than a cockpit. Women and men concentrate at desks crowded with papers, notebooks, and calculating tools, while a…

How Women as Human Computers Revolutionized Computing and Shaped Modern Science Inventions

#21 How Women as Human Computers Revolutionized Computing and Shaped Modern Science #21 Inventions

Bold headline typography declares “The Computer Girls,” framing a mid‑century magazine spread that is as much about persuasion as it is about technology. Across its panels, women in smart office attire confer with male colleagues, consult notes, and lean into…

#19 Gorgeous Photos of Hedy Lamarr in Beautiful Costumes during the Filming of ‘Samson and Delilah (1949)’ #19

Movies

#35 Gorgeous Photos of Hedy Lamarr in Beautiful Costumes during the Filming of ‘Samson and Delilah (1949)’ #35

Movies

#15 Stunning Photos of Carroll Baker during the filming of Baby Doll (1956) #15 Movies

Movies

Dolores Gray’s Fire and Cyd Charisse’s Grace: The Dual Power of It’s Always Fair Weather, 1955 Movi

#15 Dolores Gray’s Fire and Cyd Charisse’s Grace: The Dual Power of It’s Always Fair Weather, 1955 #15 Movi

A blaze of red sequins and feathered trim commands the frame, paired with long gloves and matching heels that feel tailor-made for mid-century Hollywood spectacle. The studio backdrop keeps the focus on showmanship: a confident pose, a bright smile, and…

Behind Bardot’s Gaze: Exploring Love, Contempt, and Cinema in Godard’s Le Mépris (1963) Movies &; TV

#16 Behind Bardot’s Gaze: Exploring Love, Contempt, and Cinema in Godard’s Le Mépris (1963) #16 Movies & TV

A crew member steps into frame with a clapperboard marked “Le Mépris,” while Brigitte Bardot sits poised on a fur-covered bed, her gaze turned coolly toward the camera. The setting feels spare and intimate—window light, plain walls, a mirror at…

Laughs and Low Budgets: Exploring the Wild World of Old X-Rated Movie Posters Movies &; TV

#15 Laughs and Low Budgets: Exploring the Wild World of Old X-Rated Movie Posters #15 Movies & TV

Loud typography and even louder promises dominate this old movie poster, where the slogan “A+ IN EVERYTHING… Everything you like!” splashes across the top like a wink from the box office. A central pin-up style figure anchors the composition, framed…

#13 A Look Back at Madonna’s Official Calendars 1986-1989 #13 Music

Music

#29 A Look Back at Madonna’s Official Calendars 1986-1989 #29 Music

Music

#45 A Look Back at Madonna’s Official Calendars 1986-1989 #45 Music

Music

#5 Summer, 1929

Photography

#21 Mannequins, Berlin, 1932

Photography

#37 Germany, Berlin, Fashion Store Joe Strassner, dress form for the female customer Mrs. von Siebenach Published in Dame, 1933

Photography

#83 The waterfront in Manila, Philippines, offers a glimpse into local life, August 2, 1988.

Places & People

#99 Corpus Christi Procession In The Graben With Emperor Franz Joseph I, Vienna, About 1905

Places & People

#7 A theatre chorus girl smoking a cigarette in an elegant holder, 1954.

Places & People

#15 Nancy Chaffee Kiner.

Kneeling at the edge of a tennis court with a racket angled toward the camera, Nancy Chaffee Kiner offers an easy smile that feels both candid and carefully composed. The crisp white tennis outfit and classic short hairstyle evoke an…

#10 Meanwhile, in front of a reported crowd of over 200,000 – about 100 of whom were Uruguayan

A line of footballers stands and kneels shoulder to shoulder on the pitch, posed in the calm before kickoff with a few match balls tucked into the front row. The contrasting kits—some in light shirts, others in darker tops emblazoned…

Seven Months in 1972: Documenting the Youth Culture at the Sweetheart Roller Skating Rink Sports

#11 Seven Months in 1972: Documenting the Youth Culture at the Sweetheart Roller Skating Rink #11 Sports

Under a deep, featureless night sky, four teens hold still for the camera with the unguarded confidence of the early 1970s. Three stand in a loose line while one crouches in front, grinning and striking a provocative pose; their bare…

#15 Singapore, Republic of Singapore.

Then & Now

A view of Duncannon Street decorated with bunting and banners for the coronation ceremony of Edward VII. There are pedestrians and vehicles in the foreground and the National Gallery is visible in the distance in 1902 and 2014.

#7 A view of Duncannon Street decorated with bunting and banners for the coronation ceremony of Edward VII. There are pedestrians and vehicles in the foreground and the National Gallery is visible in the distance in 1902 and 2014.

Then & Now

The aftermath of a car wreck that took the life of three-year-old Martha Cartagena, who was riding her tricycle when she was struck and killed on Porter Ave. in Brooklyn on April 4th, 1959.

#7 The aftermath of a car wreck that took the life of three-year-old Martha Cartagena, who was riding her tricycle when she was struck and killed on Porter Ave. in Brooklyn on April 4th, 1959.

Then & Now

#1 An airplane from British Imperial Airways, taken in the early 1930’s

Vehicles & Transportation

American Airline passengers make the first stratosphere flight test. The picture shows passengers breathing through their special masks during the flight.

#17 American Airline passengers make the first stratosphere flight test. The picture shows passengers breathing through their special masks during the flight.

Vehicles & Transportation

#33 Women aboard an airplane between Paris and London, 1934

Vehicles & Transportation

Hand-launched flares illuminate the hills as soldiers fire M60 machine guns with red tracers. One round can be seen ricocheting near the top of the mountain.

#2 Hand-launched flares illuminate the hills as soldiers fire M60 machine guns with red tracers. One round can be seen ricocheting near the top of the mountain.

Night turns the hillside into a harsh stage of fire and motion as hand-launched flares bloom overhead, bleaching the slopes in sudden, wavering light. Red tracer lines streak across the frame from M60 machine-gun bursts, carving luminous paths that make…

#8 A Vietnamese man and boy, treated as prisoners, walking along being stopped by an Army soldier in the 2nd Battalion.

Under a pale sky and a haze of distant hills, a Vietnamese man and a boy move along a dusty road while an Army soldier steps in to halt them. The soldier’s posture and the pair’s close, cautious spacing convey…

#24 Several Vietnamese women and children, considered prisoners, sitting on the ground near the helicopter landing area of the 2nd Battalion.

Near a rough helicopter landing area associated with the 2nd Battalion, a small group of Vietnamese women and children sits low to the ground, clustered together on gravel and bare earth. Two boys stand slightly apart, watching the scene ahead…