Circa 1899. "General view, Los Angeles." The lefthand section of a three-frame panoramic set. (The middle section, alas, is not available in high resolution.) Detroit Publishing Company glass negative. View full size.

Circa 1899. "General view, Los Angeles." The righthand section of a three-part panoramic series. Detroit Publishing Company glass negative. View full size.

New York state circa 1890s. "Assembly hall, Chautauqua." Which was not just a place but a movement. Glass negative by William Henry Jackson. View full size.

Washington, D.C., circa 1915. "Witt-Will motor truck plant, 52 N Street N.E." National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size.

Silver Spring, Maryland, circa 1926. "North Washington Realty Company." National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size.

Washington, D.C., circa 1927. The last of three National Photo glass negatives labeled "Jordan & Co." The view is of the French Embassy across from Meridian Hill Park on Sixteenth Street. National Photo Co. Collection. View full size.

Silver Spring, Maryland, circa 1927. The second of three National Photo glass negatives marked "Jordan & Co." Among the new construction shown here is a National Guard armory. National Photo Company Collection. View full size.

Silver Spring, Maryland, circa 1927. One of three National Photo glass negatives with the caption "Jordan & Co." National Photo Company. View full size.

Washington, D.C., circa 1920. "Gus Tolson, baby." Details to come, if anyone can supply them. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size.

So, why would a 16 year-old guy (i.e., me) be so happy about getting a vase for Christmas? What I should be happy about is that it's not actually my present, but my mother's; I'm only using it as a prop for this shot because I felt that none of my own gifts were quite as picturesque. Probably what I really wanted were ear transplants or a zitectomy. I set up my new Retinette for this bounce-flash Kodachrome and had my brother click it off. Later, I shot him pretending to be enthused upon unwrapping a box of handkerchiefs. View full size.

Washington, D.C., circa 1928. "Railyard, Union Station." 4x5 inch dry plate glass negative, Harris & Ewing Collection. View full size.

August 17, 1922. "Gus Jordan." Trussed Gus goes into the Potomac. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size.

August 16, 1922. Washington, D.C. "Toe Doctor." Once your tootsies are taken care of, please note that "malicious splashing" is strictly prohibited. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size.

Washington, D.C., circa 1937. "Elder Michaux's Happy News Cafe." Inside the restaurant run by enterprising radio evangelist Solomon Lightfoot Michaux. Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size.

March 1940. Washington, D.C. "National Press Club Building newssstand." Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size.