May 21, 1953. "New Canaan Public Library. New Canaan, Connecticut."4x5 inch acetate negative by Gottscho-Schleisner. View full size.

Christmas with my grandparents in Buffalo, New York. They are the couple on the right. Grandmother emigrated to the U.S. in 1909. This is likely from one of their first Christmases in America as the image comes from a glass negative. There are a couple dozen glass negatives so it would appear that Granddad moved to film stock by the Teens.

The other folks in the image are unknown by name but appear in multiple negatives from this time period. I'm fairly positive that none are relatives -- more likely other immigrant friends from Germany or acquaintances met in the U.S.

The "Charlie Brown" tree is decorated with nearly two dozen burning candles! The chandelier appears to be gas with flow regulators on each of the arms going to the globes. View full size.

Iowa, 1940. "Untitled." A rather enigmatic scene -- Iowa noir. 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the Resettlement Administration. View full size.

New York circa 1902. "Santa Claus on Broadway." Collecting donations for Volunteers of America. Detroit Publishing Co. glass negative. View full size.

New Jersey circa 1906. "The beach, Atlantic City." The right half of a panorama formed with this image. Detroit Publishing Co. glass negative. View full size.

April 1941. "Mother and two children. Family is on relief. Chicago, Ill." Acetate negative by Russell Lee for the Resettlement Administration. View full size.

New York circa 1920. "Viafora and Herbert." The sopranos Gina Ciaparelli-Viafora (seated) and Evelyn Herbert. G.G. Bain Collection. View full size.

New York City circa 1908. "Sam Kramer." Bodybuilder and wrestler. 5x7 glass negative, George Grantham Bain Collection. View full size.

October 1911. Lowell, Massachusetts. "Robert Magee (smallest), 270 Suffolk Street, apparently 12 years, been working in Mule Room #1, Merrimac Mill, one year. Michael Keefe (next in size), 32 Marion Street, been at work in #1 Mule Room for eight months; apparently 13 years old. Cornelius Hurley, 298 Adams Street, been at work in #1 Mule Room for six months; about 13 or 14 probably." Photograph and caption by Lewis Wickes Hine. View full size.

Washington, D.C., circa 1924. "Miriam Auerbach." National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size.

Washington, D.C., circa 1912. "Navy Hospital nurses." Dry plate glass negative, Harris & Ewing Collection. View full size.

Washington, D.C., circa 1913. "Jacinto Calvo, 'Germany' Schaefer, Merito Acosta, Washington Nationals." Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size.

Washington, D.C. "Storm damage. Between 1913 and 1918." Somewhere under all this rubble, I suspect, is a narrative waiting to be unearthed by a Shorpy history detective. Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size.

August 17, 1922. Washington, D.C. "Life-saving device." National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size.

December 1919. "Baker Christmas tree." Secretary of War Newton Baker, wife Elizabeth and children Jack, Betty and little Peggy. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. More Xmas awesomeness here.