Taken on September 20, 1932, the classic picture known as “Lunch Atop a Skyscraper” catches a moment captured in time. Eleven courageous ironworkers are shown in this black-and- white picture seated atop a steel beam, flying 850 feet (260 metres) over Manhattan, New York City. Nestled inside the grandeur of Rockefeller Centre, their great elevation is the sixty-ninth floor of…
1940s teenage females had an unexpected degree of freedom and a way of life that would cause jealousy in many contemporary young people. Their childhood was anchored in custom, raised in a period when society standards stressed dressing well to woo a future husband and working part-time jobs to acquire things like nice wedding china. Still, the surroundings changed significantly…
The finest women’s stockings were fashioned of silk until the end of the 1930s. This changed in the US when DuPont started nylon production in 1939. October of that year saw restricted sale of nylon stockings, then a countrywide introduction at a few chosen locations in 1940. Though they cost the same as silk, eager American consumers bought the new…
Born in 1935, American singer and actor Elvis Aaron Presley, sometimes known mononymously as Elvis, made a lasting impression on the fields of music and entertainment. Considered as the “King of Rock and Roll,” he is among the most powerful cultural person of the 20th century. Audiences responded powerfully to Presley’s energetic renditions of songs and his bold performing style,…
Ladies, this is how a man in 1938-style is landed. We always find these old “dating advice” for single women funny. Consider this: “Don’t drink too much; a man wants you to preserve your dignity all evening. Drinking may make some girls seem smart, but most get crazy’ and “Careless women never appeal to gentlemen, Don’t talk while dancing, for…
These pictures feature strange historical inventions that, although relatively rare, occasionally really did catch on. The strange inventions show creative efforts from the first half of the 20th century (and later) to enable individuals control the demands of daily living. Every year the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issues hundreds of thousands of patents for fresh ideas. Among these inventions,…
There is an amazing range of old cameras in this unusual collection; some of them were cleverly hidden in common objects. From a camera concealed in a matchbox to one disguised as a pocket watch for covert operations, these clever inventions from yesteryear—some from the 1880s—showcase themselves. Among these unique cameras were ones designed to resemble a book, a package…
Set off a wonderful adventure as we enter the center of the kitchen, where little appliances have silently changed our daily routine. This post will reveal the fascinating development of vintage toasters, therefore revealing the magic behind these beloved cooking allies. The main technical challenge in toaster development around the turn of the 20th century was the creation of a…
From 6 February 1952 until her death, Elizabeth II was Queen of the United Kingdom and of 14 other sovereign nations. Her seventy years and seven months was the longest of any British queen. Born at Mayfair, London, Elizabeth was the first child of Duke and Duchess of York (later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth). Elizabeth’s father became the…
Photographer Philippe Le Tellier took these arresting images of psychedelic fashion in London, which were featured in the Paris Match magazine (October 1967 issue). The 1960s brought the peace movement, hippie communes, and broad movements in music, art, and fashion as well as cultural upheaval. Rejecting commercialization, young rebels embraced psychedelic clothes as a creative mirror of the evolving society….