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Vintage photos of:
Our holdings include hundreds of glass and film negatives/transparencies that we've scanned ourselves; in addition, many other photos on this site were extracted from reference images (high-resolution tiffs) in the Library of Congress research archive. (To query the database click here.) They are adjusted, restored and reworked by your webmaster in accordance with his aesthetic sensibilities before being downsized and turned into the jpegs you see here. All of these images (including "derivative works") are protected by copyright laws of the United States and other jurisdictions and may not be sold, reproduced or otherwise used for commercial purposes without permission.
[REV 25-NOV-2014]
From around 1910 comes this 5x7 glass negative showing a rail car fitted with ... what? Post your informed supposition in the comments. View full size.
December 1934. "No elephant toys for First Lady. Mrs. Roosevelt, on a Christmas shopping tour, had a hard time convincing Santa Claus that she did not want a toy elephant, a symbol of the Republican Party, as a Christmas present. She is shown here inspecting an assortment of toys at a Washington, D.C., department store Friday." Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size.
Circa 1922 in San Francisco, this aging Chalmers touring car needs a new shoe. Since we're at the Maxwell-Chalmers dealer, why not take a look at the new models? 6½ x 8½ glass plate from the Wyland Stanley collection. View full size.
Washington, D.C. "Thanksgiving 1919." Once this chilly-looking fellow is properly dressed and warmed up in the kitchen, he'll have an honored place at the family table. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size.
November 26, 1929. "Thanksgiving turkeys for the President." Two feathered and one automotive. National Photo Company glass negative. View full size.
Dec. 4, 1937. Washington, D.C. "Correct way to bake turkey. H.E. McClure, of the Bureau of Husbandry, tests the turkey meat for odor." With this pungent image, Shorpy begins his seventh holiday season online and wishes a Happy Thanksgiving to all! Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size.
1910. "Grade separation under construction, probably upstate New York." Bring the family, and hold onto Junior! Maybe the rail historians out there can pinpoint where we are. 5x7 glass negative, photographer unknown. View full size.
San Francisco circa 1925. "Cunningham auto and chorus girls." A little of everything going on here -- vaudeville, car trouble, assault! 6½ x 8½ inch glass negative, originally from the Wyland Stanley collection. View full size.
UPDATE: Our astute commenters reveal the location to be Wyoming Valley Seminary College in northeastern Pennsylvania.
"Wyoming baseball" is all it says on this 4x5 negative, from the same batch of glass plates as these college lads. The buildings are another clue. View full size.
New York circa 1912. "The big buildings of Lower Manhattan." Landmark skyscrapers in this view (from where?) include the Woolworth (left) and Municipal buildings nearing completion, as well as the Singer and Bankers Trust towers. Panorama made from two 8x10 inch glass negatives. View full size.
From the early 20th century, somewhere in the Northeast, comes this 4x5 inch glass negative with the caption "L.K. -- bicycles at spring." View full size.
San Francisco, 1920. "Diamond T truck -- DeLand & Son Draymen." Draymen and drayage being haulage-related terms that eventually became as extinct as the Diamond T. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size.
1910. "Dalton All-Star baseball team -- Elm Street Field, Dalton, Penna." 8x10 glass negative by George F. Purdon, scanned by Shorpy Labs. View full size.
New York circa 1912. "Wall Street with view of Bankers Trust Building and Trinity Church." 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.
"Lettis -- Ma and tot." From around 1900, it's Miss (or Mrs.) Handlebars again (and our third look at her house), along with another look at the baby. 4x5 glass negative, photographer and location unknown. View full size.