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Most of the photos on this site were extracted from reference images (high-resolution tiffs, 20 to 200 megabytes in size) from the Library of Congress research archive. (To query the database click here.) Many were digitized by LOC contractors using a Sinar studio back. They are adjusted by your webmaster for contrast and color in Photoshop before being downsized and turned into the jpegs you see here.
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Today's Top 5
Billy, Get Help!
Submitted by Dave on Fri, 11/26/2010 - 8:00pm.
Circa 1900s. "Billy and his mistress in hunting poses." Our second look at this eight-part series awaiting the colorist's brush. Note the pasted-on wound. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.
Whew
Submitted by pattyanne on Sun, 11/28/2010 - 1:26am.
I'm sure happy you told us that was a painted on wound! It looked so real I was worried! I guess that was as good as graphics got in 1900!! Great pic! Thanks!
Billy's mistress
Submitted by Anonymous Tipster on Sat, 11/27/2010 - 4:59pm.
shoots the dog so she can steal his rings and Rolex. Because she's that kind of gal.
I still wonder
Submitted by Rip Tragle on Sat, 11/27/2010 - 10:56am.
What will be the final end use of these photos? I fully agree as to why they are photographed in this manner, I just have a hard time seeing this as advertisement material. I could be very wrong naturally, but what would they promote?
[Detroit Publishing didn't do advertising work as far as I know. Novelty postcards (example below) or decorative prints are more likely uses. - Dave]
This series
Submitted by Anonymous Tipster on Fri, 11/26/2010 - 11:24pm.
keeps getting more and more bizarre.
Alternate caption
Submitted by Bink on Fri, 11/26/2010 - 8:47pm.
"Billy's mistress checks his pulse before the hunt."
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Shorpy.com | History in HD is a vintage photo blog featuring thousands of high-definition images from the 1850s to 1950s. The site is named after Shorpy Higginbotham, a teenage coal miner who lived 100 years ago.
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Today's Top 5