The Adelphoi Zangaki (Zangaki Brothers) were two brothers of Greek origin, active as photographers in Ottoman Egypt from the 1860s through to the 1890s. Little is known about them, except their initials, C. and G., and that they worked out of Port Said and Cairo from around the 1860s through to at least the 1890s. Many of the Zangaki photographs are signed with a brother’s initial and/or a place of business, e.g., “C. Zangaki” or “Zangaki, Cairo” or occasionally “A. Zangaki”.
The two brothers specialized in photographing ancient monuments and scenes of everyday life, producing photographic prints for the tourist trade, but it remains unclear how they came to learn photography. However, shortly after their arrival in Egypt they had become established photographers with studios in Cairo and Port Said.
The Zangaki brothers traveled along the Nile, accompanied by a horse-drawn darkroom wagon to document the Egyptian scenery, architecture and events. Their pictures included views of the pyramids at Giza or the Sphinx and cities, as well of Egyptians going about their daily lives. They occasionally worked with the French photographer Hippolyte Arnoux in Port Said, documenting the works on the Suez Canal. They were also among the first commercial photographers to produce large-scale images of late 19th- century Egypt.
Students in the Al-Azhar Mosque, Cairo
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Actress Farrah Fawcett attends the taping of “Celebrity Battle of the Sexes” tennis tournament on April 3, 1977 at Marguerite Park in Mission Viejo, California. She teams her tanned limbs and tomboy-ish Adidas shorts and T-shirt with a silk scarf for a touch of glamour.
Hollywood stars compete in a series of athletic events, men versus the ladies, to prove who was the superior sex. This special game show and those that followed each six-months at CBS, was an evolution from the station’s “Challenge of the Sexes” (1976), which had cast everyday people, and “Battle of the Network Stars” (1976).
In tennis, “Battle of the Sexes” describes various exhibition matches played between a man and a woman, or a doubles match between two men and two women in one case. The term is most famously used for an internationally televised match in 1973 held at the Houston Astrodome between 55 year-old Bobby Riggs and 29 year-old Billie Jean King, which King won in three sets. The match was viewed by an estimated fifty million people in the United States and ninety million worldwide
Two other matches commonly referred to as a “battle of the sexes” include one held four months earlier in 1973 between Riggs and Margaret Court over the best of three sets, and one in 1992 between Jimmy Connors and Martina Navratilova over the best of three sets, with hybrid rules favoring the female player dubbed “The Battle of Champions.”
At least eight other exhibition matches have been played between notable male and female tennis players starting in 1888, though only some of them were referred to at the time as a “battle of the sexes.”
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The trend for wearing matching family clothes was undeniably a huge thing among families in the past, as you clearly can see numerous cringeworthy memes about it.
Take a look at these wool-clad families modeling their matching sweaters through 20 intensely awkward vintage photographs from the sixties:
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On June 14, 1940, Parisians awaken to the sound of a German-accented voice announcing via loudspeakers that a curfew was being imposed for 8 p.m. that evening as German troops enter and occupy Paris.
British Prime Minister Winston Churchill had tried for days to convince the French government to hang on, not to sue for peace, that America would enter the war and come to its aid. French premier Paul Reynaud telegrammed President Franklin Roosevelt, asking for just such aid—a declaration of war, and if not that, any and all help possible. Roosevelt replied that the United States was prepared to send material aid—and was willing to have that promise published—but Secretary of State Cordell Hull opposed such a publication, knowing that Hitler, as well as the Allies, would take such a public declaration of help as but a prelude to a formal declaration of war. While the material aid would be forthcoming, no such commitment would be made formal and public.
By the time German tanks rolled into Paris, 2 million Parisians had already fled, with good reason. In short order, the German Gestapo went to work: arrests, interrogations, and spying were the order of the day, as a swastika flew above the Arc de Triomphe.
These color photographs below were taken by Hugo Jaeger, Adolf Hitler’s personal photographer, in Paris in June 1940.
Flora and Martinus, a 14-year-old boy and 16-year-old girl from South Africa, were exhibited as ‘earthmen’ in private drawing rooms in 1853, in central London. As so-called ‘human curiosities’, the orphaned San children posed in traditional costume, danced, sang and mimed to entertain visitors…
Different to most other variety acts of the time, they performed entirely in English – having lived for two years with a British family in Croydon, south London before being put on stage, both had acquired a fluency in English, learnt to play the piano, and built up a repertoire of songs that included several English and North American classics.
They were brought to England circa 1851 by a trading merchant, who entrusted them to the care of a Mr George of Croydon. Their portraits were collected and arranged in an album of photographs by Prince Albert.
Czechoslovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe, created in October 1918, when it declared its independence from Austria-Hungary.
From the Communist coup d’état in February 1948 to the Velvet Revolution in 1989, Czechoslovakia was ruled by the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia. The country belonged to the Eastern Bloc and was a member of the Warsaw Pact and of Comecon. During the era of Communist Party rule, thousands of Czechoslovaks faced political persecution for various offences, such as trying to emigrate across the Iron Curtain.
In January 1993, Czechoslovakia split into the two sovereign states of the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
These vintage color photos show street scenes in Czechoslovakia in July 1970.
In 1962, shortly after a young Bob Dylan arrived in New York City, he met fellow musician John Cohen of the New Lost City Ramblers. Upon learning that Cohen was also a photographer, Dylan asked him to make photographs of him. They both went to Cohen’s East Village loft and rooftop for a few hours to make some photos in “a moment of invention… without planning, and with the freedom that comes from uncertainty.”
“These are pictures from a more innocent time at the beginning of Bob Dylan’s career,” Cohen recalled. “This is what he might have looked like when he first arrived in New York… the making of these photographs was quite naïve. We weren’t into creating a persona for Bob. I was more interested in documenting what was before the camera, and what I was seeing wasn’t so clear. The session was just a free-flowing pursuit of picture making and taking poses. We didn’t know what he was going to look like.”
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The era of stark, lifeless bathrooms is quickly disappearing. In its wake is an exciting trend toward colorful, interesting bathroom design. In the 1950s, style-conscious homeowners insist on planning their own bathrooms as they do the other rooms in the home… they are proud to “leave the bathroom door open.”
What goes into a “comfortable” bathroom? Fixtures, of course. They must be “right” in color, size, convenience and style — those features which will contribute so much to the comfort of your bathroom. By attractively planning other elements around the fixtures, your own bathroom design will materialize right before your eyes.
Selecting the right fixtures presents no problems because American-Standard fixtures are available in many different colors and styles. Three exciting new shades — Regency Blue, Manchu Yellow and Tourmaline Green — have been added to the five already popular colors of Persian Brown, Platinum Gray, Tang Red, Ming Green and Corallin.
1951 American Standard Bathroom – This ad for pink fixtures is just one of the many that proliferated during the 1950s. The combination of pink, yellow, and various shades of turquoise that ranged from dark green to bright blue, was one that seemed to resonate strongly with midcentury homeowners.
1952 Formica Bathroom – We found this advertisement in American Home magazine. Chartreuse, light gray, yellow, and turquoise combine in a bright, eyepopping color scheme guaranteed to wake you up in the morning. Laminates for counters became a popular finish during the 1950s because they came in a huge array of colors and patterns, but most importantly because they were so easy to clean.
1953 American Standard Bathroom – American Standard has been a mainstay of bathroom plumbing fixtures since 1899. This bathroom features the corner tub, sink, and toilet in pink with turquoise green walls, plaid bath curtains, and spatter-patterned linoleum floor.
1953 Eljer Bathroom – This ad by Eljer caught our eye because of its attractive layout and typography. The yellow fixtures and coral type and towels pop on the black background.
1953 Kohler Bathroom – Most of us would probably have a cow if we saw little Timmy using the toilet brush to shoot his Indian. This ad by Kohler is part of a series that ran during the early 1950s showcasing cute kids.
1953 Crane Bathroom – This bathroom, shown in Better Homes & Gardens, was designed to be divided. When the kids got all growed up, then Mom and Dad would be able to put a wall down the middle, between the two tubs, effectively creating a master bath and a family bathroom accessible from the hallway. The brown, blue, and grey scheme is a departure from the most popular color schemes.
1953 Crane Bath Contest Winner – Here’s a rendering of a bathroom by a post-grad student at MIT that won a Crane competition. We like the clean lines and simple layout in a small footprint. The mirrors and windows make it very bright and the black, white, and orange scheme is unusual. We think the design is timeless and could easily be reproduced today.
1953 Kohler Bathroom – Yellow, green, and orange gets a midcentury treatment in this ad for Kohler fixtures. We like the series so have probably gone a little over board with several showing the same fixtures.
1953 Kohler Bathroom – We aren’t sure about the sanitary aspect of the parakeet loose in the bathroom, but enjoy the charm of this Kohler ad nevertheless. This bathroom is shown in Caribbean brights including sky blue, mango, and coral pink.
1954 American Standard Bathroom – Gray and pink were another favorite color combination during the 1950s. This one is unusual for the black tile walls. Very daring!
1955 American Standard Bathroom – The dark forest green floor and tile contrasts with white tile and ocean blue fixtures. To punctuate the scheme, chartreuse towels and carpet liven things up. It’s a very cool room.
1956 American Standard Bathroom – This bathroom has the pink and aqua seen everywhere during the 1950s, but it’s minimized by the white walls and tile. The graphic black and white striped shower curtain and upholstered stool are nicely complemented by the pink towels and bright red rug.
1956 Briggs Beautyware Bathroom – Though the fixtures are standard issue, the color scheme is not. The color scheme was supplied by “nationally known color engineer” Howard Ketcham. This bathroom is ALL about the color.
1956 American Standard Bathroom – There were many favored color combinations including this blue, butter yellow, and tangerine bath with white tile and blue fixtures. We love the two sinks.
1956 American Standard Bathroom – By 1956 American Standard had moved on to a new series. These usually have a parent and child in the bathroom together. Here in this marvelous gray and pink scheme, Mom primps for a party while Susie takes her bath in the wonderful corner tub.
1957 American Standard Double Lav – This bathroom has a great, bright color scheme in an unexpected palette of orange, white, pink, and lavender gray. For good measure, the shower curtain has a gold starburst pattern. Gold bands on the towels provide extra repetition of detail.
1957 Briggs Bathroom with Mosaic Tile – This Briggs bathroom is notable for its extensive use of small, square mosaic tile. The color scheme of tan, green, and a few bright pops of orange tile combine with the natural woodwork for a bathroom that would have done any ranch-style home proud.
1957 Asian-Style Eljer Bathroom – There’s a lot going one in this Eljer bathroom but the effect is soothing and elegant. Red-orange laminate counters and towels, gold shower curtain and contrasting walls, almond fixtures contrast with subtle patterns in the wall paper and flooring. The green scrim divider cools it all by a few degrees. Very interesting and elegant.
1957 Kohler Bathroom – As we go through midcentury advertising and articles looking for examples, we are often struck by the beauty of the advertising itself. This new series of Kohler illustrations feature the fixtures of course, but also a new style in their advertising. This particular ad reminds us of some of the great early 20th century illustrators like Coles Phillips and his Fadeaway Girls. The white, dusty amethyst, and sea blue scheme is beautiful.
1957 Sears Bathroom – This is a standard pink and green color scheme offered by Sears Roebuck. Until the mid 1950s, ads by Sears are a rarity, but by 1957 they appear regularly in Better Homes & Gardens. This ad was very midcentury and very middle class.
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Does a baby walker help a child learn to walk? Some are clearly intended for walking practice. Others seem to be more for adult convenience. Though similar un-wheeled wicker walkers can help babies get around, those in the pictures seem to be rather restrictive.
Baby walkers were known as early as the 15th century in Europe. An illumination in the Hours of Catherine of Cleves, a Dutch manuscript from that time, depicts the infant Jesus in a wooden baby walker. The 16th century medical writer Ferrarius recommended them for training an infant to walk. In the 17th century they were taken as a symbol of mastering a skill through constant exercise. And the idea of encouraging a child to be upright, both physically and morally, appealed to some.
Go-cart was a common historical name for the wheeled version. Other alternatives were also used. A baby-runner was a padded wooden ring, set at the height of the baby’s waist, on a pole that was fixed into the floor and ceiling. The baby was placed inside the ring and able to move in a circle around the pole. This prevented the baby from reaching dangerous places, such as hot ovens.
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