1920 1950
Sergey Prokudin-Gorsky and Maxim Dmitriev documented drastically different facets of Russia in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Frances Benjamin Johnston (1864-1952) was born during the American Civil War. Her 60-year career as a photographer began with portrait, news, and documentary work then turned to a focus on contemporary architecture and gardens, culminating in a survey of historic buildings in the southern United States. In the 1880s, Johnston studied art in Paris and then returned home to Washington, DC, where she learned photography. She quickly established a national reputation as a professional photographer and businesswoman, with growing success in both the art and commercial worlds. Johnston counted presidents, diplomats, and other government officials among her portrait clients, while in her personal life she travelled in more Bohemian circles. In the 1890s and early 1900s, as one of the first photojournalists, she provided images to the Bain News Service syndicate and wrote illustrated articles for many magazines. Her active roles in pictorialist photo exhibitions and world’s fairs reflect her high level of energy and determination as well as her exceptional photographic talent. An interest in progressive education resulted in pioneering projects to document students at public schools in Washington, DC; the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama; the Hampton Institute in Virginia; and the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Pennsylvania. Outdoor class in botany, Washington, DC, ca. 1899 Students of 8th Division school using rulers, yardsticks, and measuring tape in school yard, Washington, DC, ca. 1899 Thanksgiving Day lesson at Whittier, 1899-1900 Two girls and a boy pumping water at well of Hampton Institute graduate, 1899-1900 Women painting at easels in a class at the Art Students' League, Washington, DC, 1889 Group of public school children offering peanuts to animals in the National Zoo, Washington, DC, ca. 1899 Isadora Duncan's dance students, early 1900s Machine shop class, Washington, DC, ca. 1899 Art class, sketching ducks at zoo, Normal school, ca. 1899 Hampton Institute, Hampton, Va., ca. 1898 - 11 students in uniform playing guitars, banjos, mandolins, and cello Louis Firetail (Sioux, Crow Creek), wearing tribal clothing, giving a presentation in an American history class, Hampton Institute, Hampton, Virginia, 1899-1900 6th Division mathematics class on a street paving problem, ca. 1899 A class at the zoo - the bird cage, ca. 1899 A class in dressmaking, Hampton Institute, Hampton, Virginia, 1899 Art class with live model, Normal School, Washington, DC, ca. 1899 Classroom scenes in Washington, D.C. public schools - outdoor exercise with rods - 3rd Division, ca. 1899 History class at the Tuskegee Institute School children on a field trip School children conducting simple experiments, Washington, DC, 1899 School children examining wild flowers on field trip, Washington, DC, 1899 School children learning a dance in a school yard, Washington, DC, 1899 School children measuring and sketching at a stone building, Washington, DC, 1899 Schoolgirls doing calisthenics Cooking class Elementary school class on Native American Culture Female students exercising with dumbbells, Western High School, Washington, DC, 1899 Geography class at the Hampton Institute Girls in a science laboratory at Eastern High School, Washington, DC, 1899 Girls on the playground, 1899 2nd Division grade school pupils examining a mailbox 6 girls in art class, drawing at easels, Eastern High School, Washington, DC, 1899 Academie Julian, Paris, group of art students, 1885 African American children and teacher in classroom studying corn and cotton, Annie Davis School, near Tuskegee, Alabama, 1902 African American schoolgirls with teacher, learning to cook on a wood stove in classroom, 1899 American Indian and African American students at Hampton Institute, men and women in chemistry lab, 1899 American Indian and African American students at Hampton Institute, women studying human respiratory system, 1899 Art class Class of the Sixth Division at the Library of Congress, 1899
Postings of vintage photos from the mid 1800s through World War II. Most are lightly edited.
The cheerful mugshot of murderer George H. Ray, 1890s. Of all the places to be back in the late 1800s and early 1900s, Nebraska was not one of them. I recently came across some “interesting” looking mugshots from that era that struck me as a little odd. What’s odd about them—as the title of the post touts—is that some of criminals, from an unfortunate chicken thief to a couple of murderers, appeared to be smiling in them. Yikes. Photography was a very scarce occurrence during those early decades and due to that having one’s photo taken was a very serious affair. It was also less expensive than traditional oil portraiture so that even people of lesser financial stature could have own a “portrait” of themselves or their family. In the case of the Nebraska mug shots it’s not hard to draw the conclusion that of all the the occasions to have your photo taken your first mugshot wasn’t really a time to smile for the camera. Of the bad guys and girls in this post the one I find most unnerving is the flat-out smiling mugshot of George H. Ray (pictured at...
William Bullard's early 20th century portraits of his Worcester neighbors form a unique document of an American community of color.
Take a stroll back to the late 1800s and early 1900s to see some of the grand homes and New York mansions that lined Fifth Avenue.
(Waswahili) Swahili people, Zanzibar © Sir John Kirk
Some of these fun facts just might blow your mind.
Edinburgh-based solicitor Gregor MacE had these photos from his grandmother who inherited from her mother. The photos were taken in Russia in the period 1880-1917. That branch of Gregor's family moved to Russia in the 1840s and left when the revolution broke out. The family were upper middle class and, as can be seen from the photographs, enjoyed a privileged lifestyle. They were based in the St. Petersburg area. His great-grandmother's family was English. She was born in Russia but moved to Scotland in 1917 and married with an Irishman. She brought these photographs with her, along with some jewellery and other items, which his grandmother has yet. (Photos from Gregor MacE)
Very recently, Emirjeta Xhelili of Bath Beach in Brooklyn attacked two Muslim women while they were taking their babies for a stroll. Xhelili tried to rip off their hijabs after yelling, "Get the fuck out of America, bitches!" and "This is America --...
Frances Benjamin Johnston (1864-1952) was born during the American Civil War. Her 60-year career as a photographer began with portrait, news, and documentary work then turned to a focus on contemporary architecture and gardens, culminating in a survey of historic buildings in the southern United States. In the 1880s, Johnston studied art in Paris and then returned home to Washington, DC, where she learned photography. She quickly established a national reputation as a professional photographer and businesswoman, with growing success in both the art and commercial worlds. Johnston counted presidents, diplomats, and other government officials among her portrait clients, while in her personal life she travelled in more Bohemian circles. In the 1890s and early 1900s, as one of the first photojournalists, she provided images to the Bain News Service syndicate and wrote illustrated articles for many magazines. Her active roles in pictorialist photo exhibitions and world’s fairs reflect her high level of energy and determination as well as her exceptional photographic talent. An interest in progressive education resulted in pioneering projects to document students at public schools in Washington, DC; the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama; the Hampton Institute in Virginia; and the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Pennsylvania. Outdoor class in botany, Washington, DC, ca. 1899 Students of 8th Division school using rulers, yardsticks, and measuring tape in school yard, Washington, DC, ca. 1899 Thanksgiving Day lesson at Whittier, 1899-1900 Two girls and a boy pumping water at well of Hampton Institute graduate, 1899-1900 Women painting at easels in a class at the Art Students' League, Washington, DC, 1889 Group of public school children offering peanuts to animals in the National Zoo, Washington, DC, ca. 1899 Isadora Duncan's dance students, early 1900s Machine shop class, Washington, DC, ca. 1899 Art class, sketching ducks at zoo, Normal school, ca. 1899 Hampton Institute, Hampton, Va., ca. 1898 - 11 students in uniform playing guitars, banjos, mandolins, and cello Louis Firetail (Sioux, Crow Creek), wearing tribal clothing, giving a presentation in an American history class, Hampton Institute, Hampton, Virginia, 1899-1900 6th Division mathematics class on a street paving problem, ca. 1899 A class at the zoo - the bird cage, ca. 1899 A class in dressmaking, Hampton Institute, Hampton, Virginia, 1899 Art class with live model, Normal School, Washington, DC, ca. 1899 Classroom scenes in Washington, D.C. public schools - outdoor exercise with rods - 3rd Division, ca. 1899 History class at the Tuskegee Institute School children on a field trip School children conducting simple experiments, Washington, DC, 1899 School children examining wild flowers on field trip, Washington, DC, 1899 School children learning a dance in a school yard, Washington, DC, 1899 School children measuring and sketching at a stone building, Washington, DC, 1899 Schoolgirls doing calisthenics Cooking class Elementary school class on Native American Culture Female students exercising with dumbbells, Western High School, Washington, DC, 1899 Geography class at the Hampton Institute Girls in a science laboratory at Eastern High School, Washington, DC, 1899 Girls on the playground, 1899 2nd Division grade school pupils examining a mailbox 6 girls in art class, drawing at easels, Eastern High School, Washington, DC, 1899 Academie Julian, Paris, group of art students, 1885 African American children and teacher in classroom studying corn and cotton, Annie Davis School, near Tuskegee, Alabama, 1902 African American schoolgirls with teacher, learning to cook on a wood stove in classroom, 1899 American Indian and African American students at Hampton Institute, men and women in chemistry lab, 1899 American Indian and African American students at Hampton Institute, women studying human respiratory system, 1899 Art class Class of the Sixth Division at the Library of Congress, 1899
A few years ago I bought 3 albums of old black and white photos of what I believe is North Wales, the previous owner found them in his loft I do not know who took them or many of the locations unfortunately, but I think the standard is good. Obviously developed by the photographer. This one had the location on the back! Photo size 9.25inch x 7.25inch. I love the stockings on the line.
These photos are incredibly rare.
