30 Rarely Seen Daguerreotype Portraits of People Smiling

The Daguerreotype, the first widely used photographic process, was invented in 1839. The exposure time in those early days was really long, sometimes lasting up to 15 minutes or so. Way too long to hold a smile. Grinning exercises far too many muscles. People would tire out, change their expression, and ruin the daguerreotype. NoContinue reading “30 Rarely Seen Daguerreotype Portraits of People Smiling”

30 Amazing Photos of People at Home During the Late 1800s

Victorian decorating was the polar opposite of today’s modern styles. It was a time of heavy, ornate furnishings, oversized everything, and a penchant for knickknacks. The resulting style is romantic, complex, warm, and dramatic, dripping with opulence and excess; basically, enough to make any minimalist shudder. Victorian furniture is often revivalist in style, in thatContinue reading “30 Amazing Photos of People at Home During the Late 1800s”

Handsome Photos of Actor Paul Muni During the 1930s

Paul Muni (born Frederich Meshilem Meier Weisenfreund; September 22, 1895[1]– August 25, 1967) was an Austro-Hungarian American stage and film actor who grew up in Chicago. Muni was a five-time Academy Award nominee, with one win. He started his acting career in the Yiddish theater. During the 1930s, he was considered one of the mostContinue reading “Handsome Photos of Actor Paul Muni During the 1930s”

The “Chinese Bardot”: 40 Beautiful Photos of Actress Nancy Kwan During the 1960s

Born 1939 in Hong Kong, Chinese-American actress, philanthropist, and former dancer Nancy Kwan began filming the movie The World of Suzie Wong in London with co-star William Holden in 1960. Owing to Kwan’s perceptible Eurasian appearance, the film’s make-up artists endeavored to make her look more Chinese. Gossip columnist Hedda Hopper wrote that the “scatteringContinue reading “The “Chinese Bardot”: 40 Beautiful Photos of Actress Nancy Kwan During the 1960s”

One of the Most Popular Tourist Attractions in Paris in the 19th Century was The Paris Morgue

Today, Parisians and tourists from around the world flock to visit the dozens of magnificent monuments and museums housed by the capital, in search of the legend of the Eiffel Tower, the richness of the collections of the Musée d’Orsay, or the art of living of covered passages. But there are more than a century,Continue reading “One of the Most Popular Tourist Attractions in Paris in the 19th Century was The Paris Morgue”

The Man Who Would Be King: Some Vintage Album Covers of Orion, Elvis Presley’s Masked Doppelganger

“If Elvis is alive, he wears a mask and goes by the name Orion.”Ever heard of Orion? An unknown singer plucked from obscurity and thrust into the spotlight as part of a crazy scheme that had him masquerade as Elvis back from the grave. Jimmy Ellis was born James Hughes Bell in Pascagoula, Mississippi onContinue reading “The Man Who Would Be King: Some Vintage Album Covers of Orion, Elvis Presley’s Masked Doppelganger”

The Story of Painless Parker, an Early 20th Century Street Dentist Who Pulled 357 Teeth in One Day

Please help us to continue our work bringing you the best in history on a daily basis. The cost of subscriptions to journals, archives and other media is expensive. We also have the added internet costs. You can help us by subscribing to this page for $5 per month or if you like you canContinue reading “The Story of Painless Parker, an Early 20th Century Street Dentist Who Pulled 357 Teeth in One Day”

50 Amazing Vintage Photos From the 1940s Volume 11

The 1940s (pronounced “nineteen-forties” and commonly abbreviated as “the 40s”) was a decade that began on January 1, 1940, and ended on December 31, 1949. Most of World War II took place in the first half of the decade, which had a profound effect on most countries and people in Europe, Asia, and elsewhere. TheContinue reading “50 Amazing Vintage Photos From the 1940s Volume 11”

25 Snapshots of Pablo Picasso Posing With His Beloved Dogs

“Pablo loved to surround himself with birds and animals. In general they were exempt from the suspicion with which he regarded his other friends.” – Françoise Gilot Picasso’s life, like his art, was filled with animals. His father was a breeder of pigeons and taught his son how to paint them. His love for theseContinue reading “25 Snapshots of Pablo Picasso Posing With His Beloved Dogs”