MAY CONTAIN NUTS
HOME
Home

Search Shorpy

SEARCH TIP: Click the tags above a photo to find more of same:
Mandatory field.

Search results -- 30 results per page

Standard Equipment: 1920
... the snug click of the door latch and the clean, windless interior of a closed car that makes you feel at home and comfortable in there. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/23/2017 - 9:54pm -

        There is something about the snug click of the door latch and the clean, windless interior of a closed car that makes you feel at home and comfortable in there. The deep-cushioned seats, the curtains, the glass, the conversation in low tones -- all these things make getting somewhere as pleasant as being there. Getting home is never a problem, and the weather is but an incident. In the Standard Eight Coupe, Sedan or Sedanette, the powerful motor carries the extra burden of a closed body with an effortless ease ... -- "People Don't Regret Buying Closed Cars" (Ad from 1921) San Francisco circa 1920. "Standard Eight sedan at Golden Gate Park." The Standard ("Monarch of the Mountains"), manufactured in Butler, Pennsylvania, from 1912 to 1923, was a product of the Standard Steel Car Company, maker of railroad rolling stock. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. A Very Nice Exampleof "Perpendicular Period" styling. [Early Perpendicular. - Dave] Like Sliced BreadIt's amazing to think that enclosed automobiles came later, even though enclosed carriages had been around for centuries. I have to assume it was a cost issue. Or maybe weight? No regretsYou had me at door latch. The old lady in backShe can remember covered wagons! I often wonder what the 20th century seemed like for people born in the 1830's and 1840's who lived long enough to see all the modern advancements. My mother's grandmother died at 96 in 1927, still living by herself in a gaslit house where she cooked every meal from scratch on a wood stove. "Conversation in low tones"Really a lost art. Closed carsThey were always available, as soon as cars of sufficient size began to replace motorized buggies. Riding in a dry place with no wind was always a strong attraction, but closed cars faced a whole list of barriers that did not really break down until the later 1920s. Almost all early bodies were framed in wood with elaborate joints and much bracing to keep doors functional and joints tight through the racking of driving on mostly bad roads. This the bodies (especially four doors) substantially more expensive than roadsters and touring cars. Also, this type of construction deteriorated rapidly except perhaps in cars used only on city streets, and they soon succumbed to sagging doors, leaks, and general debilitation while their open bodied brothers were still functional. Safety was also a major concern. Safety glass was still in the future, and the worst and commonest closed car crash injuries were caused by big, razor sharp chunks of plate glass flying around, often causing catastrophic bleeding. Changeover to stamped steel construction moved rapidly in the later 1920's and rapidly reduced costs and improved rigidity and durability. Small scale uses of various types of safety glass came along, and at the end of the decade Ford moved to safety glass (driven by glass injuries to a Ford manager, I think) windshields and then as rapidly as production volume caught up to full use of safety glass. Just from observation I would say that our auto fleet moved to a very strong domination by closed cars in maybe 5 years, say 1925-1930. By the way, all those failing wood framed sedans I mentioned had their bodies cut away and became the home-made open trucks preferred by all the folks in Shorpy pictures of migrating Okies. [Mass-produced all-steel bodies made their debut in the mid-1930s, starting with General Motors' "Turret Top" cars of 1935. Up until then, roofs on closed cars were generally made of rubberized fabric stretched over a wooden frame. - Dave] (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
The Long Hall: 1908
... Once again it is what some have called the most beautiful interior space in the US. When friends and family ask me for DC sightseeing ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/19/2012 - 10:22pm -

Circa 1908. "South corridor, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Amazing ArchitectureWe have more technology today, yet we can't seem to produce this kind of architectural beauty. HopefullyIt hasn't changed, just mellowed with time. Wonderful picture; great details. Still BreathtakingAfter being defiled by government bureaucrats for several decades, a dozen-year restoration was completed in the late 90's. Once again it is what some have called the most beautiful interior space in the US. When friends and family ask me for DC sightseeing recommendations, I always put the Library of Congress at the top of the list. Most had never considered it. Not TechnologyIt's not the technology that keeps us from producing architectural beauty of this sort, it is a lack of desire on the part of clients to have such architectural ornateness. Most clients want a utilitarian functionality which means there is no place for "unnecessary" details that might distract workers from their work. Just as an example the city where I lived is going to build a new art gallery. It is going to be a square soulless box. The architects - who have obviously never heard of the Guggenheim Museum - stated that the building has to be a box because you need flat walls to hang the art on. What kind of glass?I'd love to know what kind of lens the photographer had on his camera. He obviously had the camera pointed straight down the hallway, but the detail from floor to ceiling is nice and crisp. (I'm thinking it was an early wide angle lens) The murals above the doorway, left, and the doorway at the end of the hall are clear enough to make out (even to my tired old eyes) as are the smaller triangular portraits in the groins of the arches above. I'd love to get back to D.C. and find this hall just to photograph it as it is today with my digital camera and 24mm lens, set to Black and white. Then, I would put the two photos side by side for comparison. (The Gallery, D.C., DPC)
Double Bill: 1926
... have been two—Miss Tierney fortified her flair for interior decoration by attending art school for six weeks. Her first training ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/03/2013 - 9:41am -

April 23, 1926. Washington, D.C. "Miss Dorothy Tierney with porcupine." The stage actress and prickly understudy. National Photo Co. View full size. Wild ThingWith a smile on her lips and "Get this thing away from me" in her eyes. Hedging her BetsThat looks like a hedgehog to me. The Little Ingenue Washington Post, April 17, 1927. Dot Tierney On The Way Dorothy Tierney, the little ingenue of the National Theater Players, is coming back to Washington for the third season of that troupe. Just how she will manage to get away in time for rehearsals for the opening here May 9 is a problem Dorothy seems to have solved without letting the world know about it. She opened last Thursday night in a new play on Broadway, “It's a Wow,” in which cast also appeared Kathryn Givney, second lead of the Nationalites. Between engagements this winter—there have been two—Miss Tierney fortified her flair for interior decoration by attending art school for six weeks. Her first training in this direction was gained in Baltimore girls' school and fortified the last two summer seasons here by her job as art director of the Players. Miss Tierney is probably the busiest of all the National cast, for when she isn't rehearsing or acting, she is scurrying about the shops for the properties that transform a rather bare stage into an alluring living room, a library or drab lodging. Further there is the daily levy of one hour of her time by the requirements of voice and piano study. The opening play for the summer season will be the farce, “Laff That Off.” Re: Wild Thing"With a smile on her lips and "Get this thing away from me" in her eyes." LOL! But the 'thing' is obviously a tribble. (The Gallery, Animals, Natl Photo)
Light Show: 1925
Washington, D.C., circa 1925. "Geo. W. Parezo, interior," 808 Ninth Street NW. National Photo Company Collection glass ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/08/2012 - 12:39pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1925. "Geo. W. Parezo, interior," 808 Ninth Street NW. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. Dim-A-LiteOne of many Google hits for the Dim-A-Lite fixture: http://www.edisonian.com/p011f001.htm So, what else do you sell here?Reminds me of when David Letterman visited "Just Bulbs" and "Just Shades." Lighting Fixtures What a nice selection. Notice the assortment of "electric torches" (flashlights) in the display case on the left. I'd like to buy some of these fixtures to put in my home today. Lamp StoreThere are stores that look like this today, although without the flashlight counter. It must have been a bonanza in 1925 when electric power was firmly situated in major cities. This type of store filled a need for home lighting and probably installed as well as sold these fixtures. The days of a light bulb hanging from a single wire was coming to an end and properly installed lighting equipment were becoming the norm. The smaller towns came into play as well. The far rural areas really didn't get theirs until the 1930's with government help, like the TVA, and there were probably many areas that didn't get power until well after WWII. The Emerson Radio catalog had "farm radios" as late as the 1950s. A farm radio was an AM set that worked on a storage battery that was charged by a car battery. In the 1970s a couple came into my store looking for such a radio but they weren't available and he settled for a Zenith portable radio that worked on D cells for a fairly long time. The man and his wife lived on a ranch in Wyoming, with no electricity, he looked great in a suit, necktie and cowboy hat, his very plain wife appeared to be a generation older. (The Gallery, D.C., Natl Photo, Stores & Markets)
Hall of Records: 1910
... was often used as a location for a mythical precinct. The interior with its magnificent dark brown marble was used frequently as well. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/08/2017 - 6:25pm -

Circa 1910. "Hall of Records (Surrogate's Courthouse), New York, N.Y." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. The trip across the streetLike many many thousands of others, I got my marriage license in this building. And like a few thousand of those thousands, I was married in the Manhattan Municipal Building, which appears here as the hole across the street. Alas, both buildings have long outlasted the marriage. Signs of the TimeInteresting to note that both Budweiser and "The Chief" newspaper are still with us over 100 years later having survived prohibition, depression, two world wars and many other calamities. Not so sure about Hubbs Paper and Twine however. Still with usand still operating in its original function! However the old Emigrant Savings Bank next door at 31 Chambers Street (peeking from the top of the photo) is soon to become residential. In the foregroundThe renowned architectural firm McKim Mead & White was building its first skyscraper - the Manhattan Municipal Building, still standing today at 1 Centre Street (and named for David Dinkins). The reason that the basement looks like a subway station is that it is one - serving the J and Z lines. Its entrance is where the "that's not a knife" scene in Crocodile Dundee was filmed. My NeighborhoodI grew up only a few blocks from here and still live nearby. My first savings account as a child was at the Emigrant Bank branch on Chambers Street whose sign is visible just over the roof of the Tweed Courthouse. My mom would walk me there to deposit whatever nickels and dimes I hadn't spent on candy. It's interesting to see how Foley Square looked when there were still buildings where the park is now opposite the courts. Law & OrderSpent many many hours in here combing old records. My best story. Old Records room - upper floor - Ask Joe the archivist about an 1852 case. He asks "Who was the defendant?" I tell him. 5 minutes later he is back with a dusty packet of paper, tied with a ribbon. Hand written pleading papers, with crumbling wax seal. The also had the 1855 state census - in archival plastic to examine in the original - not micro film. There I found "William Tweed - Chairmaker". Another floor held original wills, and letters of testament for the intestate. 19th century deeds - recorded by hand on microfiche - Crisp clear handwriting on the page in the morning, trailing off and oddly slanted on the pages by the afternoon. If you are a Law and Order fan the Elm Street entrance was often used as a location for a mythical precinct. The interior with its magnificent dark brown marble was used frequently as well. First floor you will find birth, death and some marriage certificates on microfilm - and the magnificent tax photos of 1939 - 1940 - a photo of every building in NYC available for $25. from the original negative after you've located a contrasty microfilm image, and submitted the block and lot. They don't build 'em like this anymore. More Here: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/05/nyregion/new-york-documents-archives-... Building on the left? What is the building on the left? I don't think it's the Tweed Courthouse - too far east and too tall. Where it was is now the park. What was it? Building on the leftLenore, you may be right about that not being the eastern wall of the Tweed Courthouse. Here's a map I found of the site and what existed where the courthouse is now located, although most of it predates the 1910 photo. http://archive.archaeology.org/0207/abstracts/tweedmap.html. The main article has a lot of facts about the renovation of the courthouse and the finding of human remains. http://archive.archaeology.org/0207/abstracts/tweed.html (The Gallery, DPC, NYC)
Stewart's Castle: 1900
... altogether, and ruined the plaster and woodwork of the interior. Mr. Robert I Fleming, the architect and builder, has the work in ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/12/2011 - 11:47am -

Washington circa 1900. "Stewart's Castle, Dupont Circle." The William Morris Stewart house on Massachusetts Avenue, designed by Adolph Cluss, shortly before it was demolished. National Photo glass negative. View full size. Stewart's CastleStewart’s Castle at 1913 Massachusetts Avenue was built in 1873 for California [actually Nevada] Senator William Morris Stewart, who made his fortune in gold mining. Despite architect Adolph Cluss's intentions to imitate the wealth and glamour of European nobility, the castle proved to be too much of a financial burden and was leased to the Chinese government from 1886 to 1893. The house was sold to Senator William A. Clark from Montana, who demolished it with the intention of building a new residence; however, the land remained vacant until he sold it in 1921, and a bank was subsequently erected on the site.                 -- Washington Places (University of Virginia) BurnedAccording to the New York Times of December 31, 1879, the house burned down. [The NYT article seems a bit confused. Iowa Circle (now called Logan Circle) was six blocks east of the Stewart house, which was on Dupont Circle at Massachusetts and Connecticut avenues. The residence, built in 1873, did indeed catch fire on the evening of December 30, 1879, but only the top floor was destroyed. - Dave] Say it ain't so!Why was this beautiful creation destroyed so soon? It is one of the finer examples of architecture you'll ever see. Does anyone know the story? Builded with Brick Builded With Brick Castle Stewart Being Restored to More Than Original Splendor Castle Stewart, built by the former Senator of that name from Nevada, on Dupont circle, when that now fine neighborhood was in its infancy, and burned some three years since, is being remodeled. The exterior will resume the imposing appearance possessed before the flames destroyed the upper story altogether, and ruined the plaster and woodwork of the interior. Mr. Robert I Fleming, the architect and builder, has the work in hand, and will make the restored mansion much handsomer that it ever was, and, what is more important, not liable to burn on such slight provocation, at least. The work, which is estimated to cost $25,000, is being done by Mrs. Stewart. In addition to the restoration, three dressing rooms, to be used in connection with the stage when private theatricals are to be given, are being erected; also a conservatory and a balcony on the Connecticut avenue front. Washington Post, Jan 18, 1883 Where's Herman?I keep thinking if I look at the photo long enough, I'll see Herman, Lily, Eddie, Grandpa or another member of the Munster family show up at one of the windows. If I'm really lucky, Gomez and Morticia Addams might be there for a visit as well. (The Gallery, D.C., Natl Photo)
Pork Barrel Pyrolysis: 1937
... is meant to draw attention away from the walls, floor and interior of the barrel. I'll think I'll pass Raw pork stored ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/09/2013 - 8:09am -

Oct. 27, 1937. College Park, Maryland. "No longer is it necessary to age ham a year or so to obtain that sharp, pungent, cheesy flavor in the lean meat, so characteristic of Southern style ham. Speeding up nature, the Maryland Experiment Station, University of Maryland, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, has developed a process by which it is possible to produce some of these characteristic flavors in hams in relatively short time -- 6 to 10 weeks -- by holding them at temperatures from 107F to 125F in specially constructed incubator. The first step in the process is the thorough curing of the hams, three days being allowed for each pound of ham being cured. Mr. F.D. Carroll, of the Maryland Experiment Station, is shown with a few of the hams after they have been cured." Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size. Power of the Clean White CoatThat spotless white jacket is meant to draw attention away from the walls, floor and interior of the barrel. I'll think I'll passRaw pork stored at 107-125 degrees in a barrel for 6 to 10 weeks might be a little "high" at the end of maturation, don't you think? Today this kind of information is secretA few years ago a guard in a golf cart chased me off a sidewalk alongside a public road through the Department of Agriculture property near College Park. This photo suggests why they don't want people getting close enough to look. RE: I think I'll pass3 days per lb of ham x 10 lbs = 30 days (4 weeks). If the hams averaged 15-20 lbs each, that would be 45-60 days, or 6-8 weeks. DownfallThis picture illustrates the beginning of the end of western civilization. The Ham FactoryFor decades, folks in such positions have worn hair nets. (The Gallery, Harris + Ewing)
Victorian Radio: 1924
... course of trying to solve the problem of blackening of the interior of an incandescent lamp. But the earliest tubes were simple ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/30/2013 - 10:31am -

June 1924. Washington, D.C. "Carl W. Mitman, Curator of Engineering, U.S. National Museum [Smithsonian Institution], holding what is believed to be the first radio tube, made in 1898 by D. McFarlan Moore of New York. Radio waves emanating from this tube ignited a bomb a city block away and blew up a miniature of the Battleship Maine." Harris & Ewing glass plate. View full size. Interesting, but --Googling Moore, no mention is made of an 1898 radio tube. Considerable mention is made of his work with lighting, though. Moore was alive when this picture was taken, and was shot to death on his front lawn in 1936 by an angry inventor who had discovered Moore had already taken out a patent on something he'd invented. [From the Annual Report of the United States National Museum, Smithsonian Institution, 1924. Google provides only a snippet view. -tterrace] Broken by Bellboy?I'm having trouble reconciling the photo with the following newspaper article. Is this the same tube? Did Moore donate a collection of several early tubes to the Smithsonian? I feel sorry for the bellboy. I wonder if he actually broke the tube or was just the scapegoat. Washington Post, June 24, 1924. First Radio Tube, Brought to City, Broken by Bellboy The first radio tube, invented by D. McFarlan Moore, in 1898, and held to be the most valuable exhibit of its kind in the United States was shattered a few days ago by a bellboy. Today it lies in useless condition, in the office of Carl W. Mitman, curator of engineering, in the National Museum. Last week the tube was brought with infinite precautions from New York, by Mr. Moore, who is connected with the Edison Lamp Works of the General Electric Company, at Harrison, N.J. Mr. Moore carried his precious tube himself, because he was afraid to entrust the delivery to the mails of parcel post service. The tube was carried in special wrapping, and swathed thickly in cotton. Mr. Moore registered at the Hotel Raleigh and gave his suitcase to a bellboy. He also temporarily surrendered the tube. As the door to his room was opened, he heard a faint tinkle of glass, as he brushed against it. Upon examination the tube was found broken. The tube is said to be unique, and the only one if its kind in this country. Parts of it are set with platinum fixtures. It was to be placed on exhibition at the museum. Now, however, its fate is problematical. Whether it will be possible to adjust the delicate mechanism is unknown. Mr. Moore is well known in engineering and scientific circles. Among his achievements was the construction, in 1904, of a lamp known as the Moore lamp, commercially used in large numbers in the United States. Different boxesThat old tube, no doubt, is stored in a box in some county-size .gov warehouse (think "Raiders of the Lost Ark"); Mr. Mitman is stored in a different box. Source of the caption?Love the photo. But who supplied that caption? Radio waves don't emanate from tubes, they emanate from antennas. Even if a small amount of RF did emanate from the tube, it couldn't set off a bomb a block away. I wonder what experiment they really carried out that day. [The caption is from the Harris & Ewing negative sleeve. -tterrace] Tubes and LampsElectron tubes and incandescent light bulbs have a substantial shared history. In fact, the principle underlying tubes -- electron flow through a vacuum from cathode to anode -- was discovered by accident in the course of trying to solve the problem of blackening of the interior of an incandescent lamp. But the earliest tubes were simple diodes. Whatever the internal assembly is in this one, it's much more complicated than that. This tube looks remarkably sophisticated for 1924, never mind 1898. Could it be a prop standing in for the broken 1898 specimen? (Technology, The Gallery, Harris + Ewing)
Futurama: 1963
... Blue has obstructed the original view and remodeled the interior of this iconic building. Probably one of the very few left at JFK that ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/18/2013 - 7:47pm -

New York circa 1963. "Trans World Airlines Terminal, Idlewild Airport. Eero Saarinen, architect." Photo by Balthazar Korab. View full size. Jet BlueIt is a shame how Jet Blue has obstructed the original view and remodeled the interior of this iconic building. Probably one of the very few left at JFK that had any Architectural significance. One word ...Beautiful! CapturesSaarinen's intent to show the terminal as the cathedral of flight. It looks like a huge bird just lifting from the ground. Familiar old friendThe white car on the far left is a 1962 Ford Galaxie..my first car. The thing was built like a tank. The dashboard and glovebox were all metal. You opened the hood and everything was easy to find. I even did my own tune-ups, oil changes and changed out the starter motor. Today, I wouldn't know where to begin. (The Gallery, Aviation, Balthazar Korab, Cars, Trucks, Buses, NYC)
Analog Memory: 1925
... Portrait Gallery That shot sure looks similar to the interior of the National Portrait Gallery. Did the Patent Office later become ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/23/2012 - 5:36pm -

July 16, 1925. "U.S. Patent Office files." Harris & Ewing glass neg. View full size. All those great ideasRow upon row, shelf upon shelf of file folders and books, each of them containing ideas that some individual thought was so brilliant, it was worth telling the federal government about so that no one else could steal it. The highest patent number I see indexed on the ends of the shelves is 1,234,039. Just think, over a million ideas committed to paper (and of course, there are millions more today). There's something about it that boggles the mind. Paper mountainsThe USPTO now receives close to 500,000 patent applications each year. Imagine storing all that in paper form. In 1960, arguably the dawn of computer storage, that number was under 80,000. Interestingly, your patent stood a much better chance of being approved in the old days. http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/ac/ido/oeip/taf/h_counts.htm Not the "Paperless Office"The man looking over the railing at the vast archive is, perhaps, dreaming of it. "Someday, I'll put all of this stuff on a few little electronic storage devices, no larger than a cigar box, and then they won't laugh at me any more!" This photo reminds me of Franz Kafka's descriptions, in his novel "Amerika," of enormous record-keeping operations in which the employees had no idea at all what the larger enterprise was about. Not that they cared, or even had to know, as long as they got paid, and could go back to their attic rooms and get drunk and gamble on their time off. Then it was right back to work before dawn! Fire ProtectionNote the modern sprinkler system above and the four fire extinguishers at the end of the stacks. The Patent Office had clearly learned from the Great Patent Fire of 1836 and was taking no chances. National Portrait GalleryThat shot sure looks similar to the interior of the National Portrait Gallery. Did the Patent Office later become the National Portrait Gallery? [In 1968. - Dave] American Art Museum, tooRenovated and reopened in 2006, it is the National Portrait Gallery, but shares space with the American Art Museum. The art collection is great and the space is beautiful -- looks very similar to the structure as pictured here. The upper floor are the Luce Foundation Center and Visible Conservation Center. Really cool. http://www.npg.si.edu/inform/renovation.htm "The Smithsonian American Art Museum's Luce Foundation Center for American Art accommodates 5,000 artworks, densely installed in secure glass cases for public viewing in the third floor in the west wing." (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing)
Scarf Chic: 1952
June 20, 1952. "Scarves by Vera, 417 Fifth Avenue, interior. Marcel Breuer, architect." Our second look at the atelier of this ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/12/2013 - 5:57pm -

June 20, 1952. "Scarves by Vera, 417 Fifth Avenue, interior. Marcel Breuer, architect." Our second look at the atelier of this minimalist modiste. Oh, and: scarves! Large-format acetate negative by Gottscho-Schleisner. View full size. Vera infoIncluding how to date them: click here. Mr. Moneybags417 Fifth Avenue is now owned by Carlos Slim, the world's wealthiest person. That would take a lot of scarvesJust how many scarves did she have to sell to afford such a studio? Or, how expensive was each scarf? Oh, look at all the ash traysI think I could almost relapse. My office banned smoking in 2000 and that's when I quit. I think we were a living history museum at that point. Pretty hip decor, even for todayToday this space would double as some swanky online magazine or PR firm. StatusI remember Vera scarves from the 1970s, I believe. I know they have been around a lot longer, but I think it was in vogue to wear scarves in the 70s. Hadn't thought about them until now. Wish I had saved some! Love the offices! So chic! (The Gallery, Gottscho-Schleisner, NYC, Stores & Markets)
The Crucible: 1920
Circa 1920. "Bureau of Mines, Department of Interior, Washington." Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative, Library of ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/27/2012 - 2:42pm -

Circa 1920. "Bureau of Mines, Department of Interior, Washington." Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative, Library of Congress. View full size. DatingGood thing there's a date for this, albeit approximate. You could Fark that guy out and stick him in a 1950s, even up to mid-1960s shot and nobody'd notice. [I just found an exterior shot from the batch of photos showing cars with 1920 license plates, so I've changed "circa 1910-1915" to 1920. - Dave] Why is it glowing?"What did you say this stuff is called Dr. Oppenhiemer? Uranium? Well yes, I did notice my hands glowing last night. Do I plan on having children someday? Yes, why do you ask? Who is my next of kin?" Lab TestThe same Corning ceramic crucibles. The same basic oven, though I don't remember the brand. The same tongs. This could be a quality control laboratory at Tennessee Eastman in the late 1950's when I started work there. We used this equipment to determine percent ash on photographic chemicals and other chemicals from production. We had learned to wear gloves and protective glasses by then. MarshmallowsWhen I first glanced at the photo, I thought the guy was toasting marshmallows. The Hot MetallurgistI could positively eat this young man with a spoon. [Or maybe a shovel. - Dave] (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing, Mining)
Tulsa: 1921
"Disaster Relief. Interior, American Red Cross hospital, Tulsa, Oklahoma. Nov. 1, 1921. Patients ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/20/2020 - 11:14am -

"Disaster Relief. Interior, American Red Cross hospital, Tulsa, Oklahoma. Nov. 1, 1921. Patients recovering from effects of race riot of June 1, 1921." 5x7 inch glass negative, American National Red Cross photograph collection, Library of Congress. View full size. Indeed a massacreAgree that the term, riot, is misleading. I am 62 and grew up in the Detroit, Michigan area. I was 61 when I learned about the Tulsa massacre. Thank you, Dave. Just two words, three, actuallyThank you, Dave. MassacreThe term "riot" is misleading. I didn't learn about this event until I was over 40 years old. This history has been suppressed, and will be no longer. Five months laterThe patients pictured were still being treated five months after the riot/massacre. [November 1 is the date the caption was written. Unclear if that's when the photos was taken. - Dave] HeartbreakingThis photo brings tears to my eyes -- the patients look shell-shocked, as they should, since everything and so many loved ones were decimated. (The Gallery, ANRC, Medicine)
Car Haven: 1963
1963. "Parking garage, New Haven, Connecticut. Interior looking down ramp. Paul Rudolph, architect." Photo by Ezra Stoller. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/17/2018 - 12:28pm -

1963. "Parking garage, New Haven, Connecticut. Interior looking down ramp. Paul Rudolph, architect." Photo by Ezra Stoller. Paul Rudolph Collection, Library of Congress. View full size. Car heavenSuch a highly evocative photograph. The dramatic lighting on the car on the left is downright cinematic, and the detail in the concrete of the formwork is endlessly fascinating, so wood-like in appearance. The swooping form of the overhead structures is lovely, and captured to maximum effect with the camera angle. Finally, those are the cars that populated the environment of my 6-year-old self, in that year, and seeing them casually parked and coming up the ramp is like some time-travel dream. Thank you, Ezra Stoller, whoever you are. You remind me in the best way of Samuel Gottscho. [His obituary. - Dave]         Mr. Stoller was not merely a documenter but also an interpreter of buildings, translating an architect's three-dimensional vision into two-dimensional abstract compositions that had a sweeping beauty of their own. Famous for his ability to capture a building from just the right angle and in just the right light, he was often commissioned by the world's leading architects, who spoke, in hopeful tones, of having their creations "Stollerized." All new all over againBetween these two Chevys, '54 on left and '59 on right, are huge differences in design (compare the hoods), and in between those were three vastly different designs, the '55-56, then classic '57 and my fav of all, the '58. Each very different in design and mechanicals. Those were the days of great new model rollouts. [The "Tri-Five" Chevrolets of 1955-56-57 were basically the same car with different sheet metal. - Dave] Little detailsA couple of things are revealed about both Chevies in the photo. The '54 is a stick shift otherwise you'd see the PowerGlide gear shift pointing at the 1:00 position behind the steering wheel. The '59 is an Impala by trim and a 283 by engine choice because of the "V" on the hood--a 348 would have cross-flags above the "V". The '55 Hudson and VW Bug say "me too"! [The “'55 Hudson” is a 1957 Rambler. -tterrace] Still ThereThis looks like the Temple street garage in New Haven CT (for some silly reason Google Street View shows this in the dark of night). That tall building at the right is the New Haven Railroad office building, now a board of education office building. Function and Form and FlairThe Temple Street Garage of New Haven, a fine example of urban architecture that deftly blends function and form. Architect Paul Rudolph said, "I wanted to make a building which said it dealt with cars and movemement. I wanted there to be no doubt that this is a parking garage." While most parking structures are unremarkable stacks of concrete slabs, Rudolph molded into this building gracious curves that invoke the motions of vehicles on superhighways. Stacked Board formworkBrutalism at its "finest". Note that the concrete is given its texture, rhythm and direction from the naked, unfinished boards stacked together as a concrete form. The wet concrete flows up against the boards and takes on the grain, not-holes and records the spaces between the planks. He could have used plywood forms, or smooth, non-textured formwork. The garage would have had a vastly different feel from those techniques. He also uses the formwork to create flat ceilings, arched barrel vaults and arched beams that go from column to column, as if this were a great medieval cathedral. Well, it was america in the 1950s and what other use did we have for religious architecture? Can we stand this stuff today? (Cars, Trucks, Buses)
Lux Aeterna: 1943
... 1988 A gorgeous picture The kerosene lamp, the dark interior, the darkness outside, and the bored and/or pensive expression on the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/02/2014 - 12:30am -

March 1943. "Brakeman Jack Torbet, sitting at the window of the caboose pulling out of Waynoka, Oklahoma, on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad." Photo by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size. Brakeman's signal lampI was surprised to see that the brakeman's lamp is exactly the same as a Burlington Northern lamp that I have from the 80's. The only difference is that mine is made of orange plastic with clear plastic cage over the bulbs. Same bulb layout, same hoop handle, same shape and probably the same 6 volt lantern battery inside. These were used to signal the engineer from trackside like in the Jack Delano photos. Fiat lux dupliciterNice contrast between the lamp still run on kerosene (or other liquid fuel) versus the signal lantern on the table corner being battery-powered. The lantern is on its guard/stand with the lens facing down; the ring is the carrying handle, if you were wondering. Everything looks pretty sturdy including the thermos that could *gasp* actually keep things hot or cold for a reasonable time. Authentic KromerTorbet’s cap is a genuine Stormy Kromer, still made to this day. In the early 1900s one George “Stormy” Kromer was driving steam locomotives for the CNW Railroad in Kaukauna, Wisconsin. His search for the perfect cap was futile, so he had his wife, Ida, make him one. Next thing you know his conductor wanted one, and the rest is history. 42 years oldJohn Allen Torbet was born in Iowa on 18th September 1901 the son of the Reverend Walter and Anna Lytle. He married New Jersey born Helen Carver (1908-1996) around 1930 and they had 3 children. The 1940 census has the family living at 225 Palm Drive, Piedmont CA where Jack was earning $1800 a year, working a 56 hour week. He died in Butte County, CA in 1988 A gorgeous pictureThe kerosene lamp, the dark interior, the darkness outside, and the bored and/or pensive expression on the man's face all combine to produce an evocative picture. Photoshop out the blurry high-powered flashlight on the table, and it would be perfect. Slack actionHe will take all of that stuff off the table once he hears couplers banging. (The Gallery, Jack Delano, Railroads)
No Heavy Teaming: 1908
... twenty-one.” Full text , with description and interior photographs. Hold Your Horses NO HEAVY TEAMING OR FAST DRIVING ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/08/2017 - 12:21pm -

1908. "Arnold Park -- Rochester, N.Y." Our title comes from the traffic sign on the median. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. Searching The Heavens On A Quiet StreetThe Warner Observatory (dome at right of photograph), financed by Hulbert Harrington Warner, was completed 1882 and the building was demolished 1931. The History And Work Of The Warner Observatory: “The Warner Observatory is distinctively a private institution built for the purpose of original discovery rather than the ordinary routine work of most other observatories. The desire of its founder was that the great telescope (then the third largest in the United States) be used in such work; so, selecting as my principal field of labor, the discovery of new nebula, which, since the death of the Herschels and of D’Arrest, had been much neglected, and to which work the quest for faint comets had well trained my eye (an important factor), and also because of its congeniality to my taste (another influential consideration), on July 9, 1883, a thorough and systematic search was inaugurated for this class of objects, which were popularly supposed to have been exhausted, a verdict which the fair measure of success, up to this writing, quite disproves. In this work occasional assistance has been received from my son Edward, now a lad of fifteen years, who has discovered twenty-one.” Full text, with description and interior photographs. Hold Your HorsesNO HEAVY TEAMING OR FAST DRIVING ALLOWED. Heavy Teaming is my new rock-band name.It used to be Peristalsis. Arnold Park TodayFrom East Ave on 6/8/2017. No Heavy TeamingI wonder why "No Heavy Teaming"? Was it to reduce vibrations in the observatory telescope or were they afraid of damage to the road surface? [Today's equivalent would be "No Trucks Over X Tons" signs on residential streets. -tterrace] +111Below is the same view from September of 2019. (The Gallery, DPC, Rochester)
Frosted Foods: 1935
Washington, D.C., circa 1935. "Interior of D.G.S. Store, 3300 Connecticut Avenue, Cathedral Mansions." An ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/03/2012 - 6:52pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1935. "Interior of D.G.S. Store, 3300 Connecticut Avenue, Cathedral Mansions." An interesting look at some Birdseye Packing Co. "Frosted Foods." View full size. 8x10 safety negative, National Photo Co. Note that by 1935, National Photo has made the jump from glass to film as a recording medium. Resulting in a more modern, contrastier look but a little less detail. BrandedSo many products and brand names that many of us early baby boomers long thought were post-WW2 creations made just in time for us! Heinz 57 BreakfastI wonder how long Heinz stayed in the breakfast wheat and rice flake business. District Grocery Store Washington Post, May 1, 1936 D.G.S. Celebrates 15th Anniversary District Grocery Stores, Inc., is celebrating the fifteenth anniversary of its founding. The organization has grown into a co-operative with 265 member store spreading from Rockville, Md., on the north, to Manassas, Va., on the south, and from Riverdale, Md., on the east to Glen Echo Md., on the west. Each District Grocery Store is operated by its owner. Stores offer such free services as telephone shopping service, free delivery and credit extension whenever it is necessary. The D.G.S. maintains a warehouse at Fourth and D streets southwest, where only members may purchase groceries, meats, fresh fruits and vegetables, eggs, dairy products, beverages, tobacco and candy. Sales to members last year totaled more then $5,000,000. Sales this year are expected to exceed $6,000.000. (The Gallery, D.C., Natl Photo, Stores & Markets)
Grand Hotel: 1908
... from Churchill's. Oculus Windows Into what sort of interior space did that row of oculus ("eyeball") windows admit light and air? ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/24/2014 - 4:07pm -

New York in 1908. "Hotel Astor, Times Square." Note the fancy roof garden. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. I found my room!But by the Summer of '65, it had no awning any more. Two years later, it had no walls, floor, or ceiling either. Interesting juxtapositionUnited Cigars, just a few doors down from Churchill's. Oculus WindowsInto what sort of interior space did that row of oculus ("eyeball") windows admit light and air? Perhaps a ballroom? Note that some of the other buildings in the background have oculus windows, but these are single windows, not a long row. Certainly a nice collection of brass-era automobiles on the street. A Pretty Penny!Just look at the size of the Budweiser sign to the right rear of the photo. Even for 1908, the cost to build and erect such a sign must have cost s pretty penny. Would love to see this sign at night all lit up. Oculus windowsFound this pic on the LOC website, it appears to be the top floor banquet room. The round windows appear to be covered in this photo. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, DPC, NYC, Streetcars)
The Lincoln Gates: 1906
... labor in the late 1890s, it was the first building with interior electrical lights in Macon County. Destroyed by fire on January 23, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/21/2012 - 1:22pm -

Tuskegee, Alabama, circa 1906. "The Lincoln gates, Tuskegee Institute." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Frankly, My DearWow, fifth person from the left, it's Rhett Butler! Dapper DanOne man who stands out in a crowd is the very self-confident and stylin' Clark Gable look-alike (fifth from the left) with the rakish hat and cool demeanor. He looks like a born leader. The ChapelThe building in the background is the Tuskegee Chapel designed by Robert R. Taylor, the first African American graduate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Constructed with student labor in the late 1890s, it was the first building with interior electrical lights in Macon County. Destroyed by fire on January 23, 1957. (The Gallery, DPC, Education, Schools)
Blinging Up Baby: 1947
... 27, 1947. "Kartch's, Main Street, Paterson, New Jersey. Interior rear, horizontal detail." An elaborate display of clothes and ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/08/2013 - 3:17pm -

Jan. 27, 1947. "Kartch's, Main Street, Paterson, New Jersey. Interior rear, horizontal detail." An elaborate display of clothes and accessories for the baby in your life. Large-format acetate negative by Gottscho-Schleisner. View full size. Packaging and accessNo packaging, no visible tags and labels: less junk between us and the product. But the product does sit in a glass-topped drawer or on glass-paned shelves behind a counter. An entirely different relationship between the customer and the product: mediated via humans rather than plastic and cardboard. CrispBeautiful details, superb display cases; more of a high-end jewelry store then a store with clothing for children. Helped the patrons understand how important their children were. Very high class. High endNot the place for your average family to shop!! BOOM!So much wonderful mid-cent ambiance here that if I started my praise I could not stop. (OK, I have to admire the lighted ameboid show window above the shop floor.) But I'm here mainly commend those baby dept. shelf stockers, and ponder how they must have had to be on their toes--it's 1947 and that baby boom is going to keep 'em quite busy for years. Chairs!In the mid 1950s, mom loved shopping in stores that had chairs to sit in while perusing the merchandise. Today, stores have one simple policy: Come in, take what you need (don't dare look for someone to help you), pay up, and get out! Is it no wonder those of us of a certain age long for simpler, more courteous times? Baby jar setsOn the top shelf to the left of the stuffed animals, are sets of jars. One would be for Q-tips, and one for cotton balls. Don't remember what my mother put in the others. (The Gallery, Gottscho-Schleisner, Stores & Markets)
Oaks Aplenty: 1904
... the middle), open dormer windows, and likely transoms over interior doors, with at least one large open stairway for stack effect, make ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/06/2013 - 10:05pm -

Circa 1904. "Daytona, Florida -- Magnolia Avenue." Where oaks and palms abound. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. Stuffy Victorian in FlaFunny how the Northerners imported their same housing styles to the deep south without realizing how impractical they were in so far as dealing with the natural local climates. The oppressive heat and humidity in summer must have made those upper floors a veritable steam bath. I also imagine the ornate woodwork and paint alone on the exterior of these homes would have suffered in no time. Not to mention a termite's dreamland. [Northerners wouldn't have been using their Florida homes in the summer. -tterrace] A few old oaksSurvive along Magnolia Avenue but there seems to be no trace of any of these grand houses today. A perusal of Google Street View shows many of the flat ranch house style of the 1960s and one might wonder whether the severe visit of Hurricane Donna in 1960 eliminated or damaged those lovely structures. Au contraire!To catch any hint of a breeze double hung windows opened on top on the second and third floors (you can clearly see this on the white house in the middle), open dormer windows, and likely transoms over interior doors, with at least one large open stairway for stack effect, make this design as practical as any for the climate (short of an open treehouse-type). People now don't seem to realize that windows are for ventilation, not just venues for "window treatments", and that high ceilings (and multiple stories) really help in hot climates. Having owned a foursquare in a climate with summers and winters, I'd say they are more practical for hot climates than cold, if you don't depend on the typical American oversized HVAC. Tree wrapThat tree in the middle of the photo has more vines coiling around it than I have seen on trees in river bottom lands. AssumptionsI remember being in houses very much like this when I was small. In hot weather they were great, the huge roof structures kept the hot roofs away from the ceiling, and the tall ceilings and windows let hot air rise and escape. The biggest issue by far? No screens, and therefore flies and bats. Flies love horse dung! Partially screenedScreens are obvious on the near house, over the guy in the rocker, and the screened washing porch in the next house. They do seem to be missing on some of the open windows in that house, though. (The Gallery, DPC, Florida)
Chevy Chase Presbyterian: 1924
... of the Architectural League of New York in 1921. The interior combines in rare beauty, the rugged strength of the walls and the roof ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/04/2012 - 9:36pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1924. "Sanctuary, Chevy Chase Presbyterian Church." National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. AglowI like the light coming through the window. Stock Church PartsJeez, do they use those same chandeliers in every church? They look like the same ones in the Catholic church I was dragged to as a kid in a small town in Iowa, and I recall seeing them in other other photos around here. Man, that place would be hard to fall asleep in. Those brick floors look cold. RevelationWow, what a gorgeous -- and bare -- sanctuary. Nowadays I guess you wouldn't get the exposed-beam-and-brick thing going on as much, but seeing the spine of the architecture is somehow gorgeous, despite being stark. Presbyterian PerspectiveThis photo provides the pastor's view, except that the congregation is missing. I wonder if the choir sang from the balcony above the narthex. If this church was traditionally aligned, the back window faced west and the altar was on the east side of the sanctuary (behind the photographer.) It's a lovely old church. I think it would be exceedingly rare to see that many massive wood beams in a church built today. Wood like that is expensive. Weathered White OakI'm amazed in the following article on the design of this church no mention is made of the beautiful masonry. From the photo it appears to be composed of a variety of rough dressed granite. Washington Post, May 17, 1924 Chevy Chase Church Dedication Tomorrow Edifice Will Seat 700 ... The new edifice occupying a commanding site at the circle is of Tudor Gothic design. The plans, as drawn by F.A. Nelson, architect of New York, were awarded the gold medal of merit at the exhibition of the Architectural League of New York in 1921. The interior combines in rare beauty, the rugged strength of the walls and the roof of dark Southern pine. Cathedral leaded glass is used in the arched stone windows. The chancel furnishings of ornamental work, the narthex screen and pews are in weathered white oak. The church, with balcony, seats 700. Provision is made in the chancel for an antiphonal choir of eighteen voices, an organ console, elders seats and communion table, while in the assembly room under the auditorium there are seating accommodations for 500. ... Today's view from the other side of the stained glass... View Larger Map Let there be lightAs a P. K., I've seen my share of church chandeliers. This is, indeed, a very frequently seen design. Church furnishings are meant to last a very long time, and are (or were in the past) quite well made. Even the lower end of any sanctuary furnishing is usually expensive. I imagine that the same basic design may have been used for a variety of budgets, with the difference in quality only visible on close inspection. It's generally not easy to closely inspect chandeliers, but I imagine these were not the budget model of the day, either. Someone I know used to sell church furnishings and supplies, among other things, and her employer carried the higher end. If the pew flexes when you sit down midway between the supports, it's a cheaper model, and not one she would have sold. P. K.: Preacher's Kid (The Gallery, D.C., Natl Photo)
Delaware Avenue: 1901
... Pension Office is now the National Building Museum. The interior is even more impressive than the exterior. For a photo see: ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/29/2021 - 3:17pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1901. "An elevated view of Delaware Avenue S.W. between H & G streets from the Randall School." Large structure on the horizon is the Pension Office, now the National Building Museum. 8x10 glass negative, D.C. Street Survey Collection. View full size. National Building Museum nowThe Pension Office is now the National Building Museum. The interior is even more impressive than the exterior. For a photo see: https://www.nbm.org/about/ [Also here. - Dave] I Spy National Building MuseumThe large building in the distance is the National Building Museum. [Just like it says in the caption! - Dave] Little treesI couldn’t help noticing the little trees lining both sides of this block. So I streetviewed what I believe to be the current stretch of this block (Delaware Avenue SW does weird things between H and G streets – some adjacent streets are mysteriously unlabeled and unstreetviewable, so I may be wrong) and I’m happy to report that there are now grand mature trees in evidence. TreesWhy are all the trees protected, were they newly planted? [Horses tend to nibble. - Dave] (The Gallery, D.C., D.C. Street Survey)
St. Patrick's Cathedral: 1907
New York circa 1907. "Interior of St. Patrick's Cathedral." Faith and Begorrah! 8x10 inch glass ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/17/2013 - 1:36pm -

New York circa 1907. "Interior of St. Patrick's Cathedral." Faith and Begorrah! 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Can you hear me now?The most interesting thing in the photo is the wonderful sounding board behind the pulpit just outside the sanctuary on the right, decorated with a dove representing the Holy Spirit. Sound projection from the days before microphones. Edith Ewing Bouvier Beale10 years later, Edith Ewing Bouvier married Phelan Beale here in a lavish ceremony. Edith was the aunt of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Lee Radziwill. She was also the mistress of Grey Gardens and the mother of Edith Bouvier Beale. I am more than a little obsessed with her story! Exposure, exposure, exposureWhen I look at that photo I immediately think of all the work that a photographer had to do in those days to accommodate the limitations of film. Today, digital cameras are so incredibly good, for those of use who got our feet wet in the days of film, it feels like cheating! [Similar to digital, this exposure was also made without film. - Dave] Oh My Aching ArmsOne look at those tall altar candles brought back painful memories of my altar boy days. You were the designated candle lighter for 10:00 Sunday High Mass. The church was full maybe even your parents and family were in attendance and you had to go out there with the Big Candle Lighter. Your first obstacle was climbing the steps and since your hands were full of the BCL you could not control your cassock from landing under your shoes and causing an unceremonial trip. Next you had to stretch your full 4 foot 8 frame to get the lit taper up to the top of the candle. You could not see the wick and it was all moving the BCL around until Divine Guidance led you to the wick and you had ignition. If the altar boy who had snuffed out the candles last had been in a devilish mood he might have bore down on the candle with the snuffer and buried the wick and only the most patient and hardiest of altar boys could hold the BCL up and make ignition. After getting all six lit you had the hurdle to navigate down the steps again without tripping. In case you had a hard time doing your job and people were snickering you had one ace up your surplice. You could ring the bells as loud as you could and wake people up who might have snickered. (The Gallery, DPC, NYC)
Le Bel Âge: 1908
... casino in 1954. I've got lots of pictures of the interior that I should post. I no longer live in Detroit, but I believe the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/09/2019 - 4:28pm -

Detroit, Michigan, circa 1908. "Crowd at Belle Isle Park casino." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Forget gambling!The "Belle Isle Casino" was an open air building for decades on Detroit's Belle Isle, in the Detroit River. But it never was what we consider the "Casino" term today. No gaming in any form. It was just a nice place with tables and some food attractions then and forever more. End of an EpochBuilt in 1887, torn down in 1908. (Hey, at least it didn't burn!) Replaced by a still existing Casino building. When casinos weren't casinosThis wouldn't have been a place for gambling, thus all the kids, one of whom seems to have an armload of presents. Originally, casino was another name for a ballroom or place of entertainment. Johann Strauss II, the Waltz King, often premiered his music at places like Dommayer's Casino in Vienna, which was a ballroom. Staring boyThe whole composition appears to be a blurred whirl of activity around the still center of the boy in the cap with his hands behind his back, staring at the camera. There, wolf?Is that guy in the foreground a graying werewolf or did he just puff out some cigar smoke? Lots of weddingsMy parents got married in the replacement casino in 1954. I've got lots of pictures of the interior that I should post. I no longer live in Detroit, but I believe the replacement casino got a big update a few years ago. (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC, Kids)
These Our People: 1953
... 24, 1953. "Goucher College, Towson, Maryland. Library interior IV. Moore & Hutchins, client." 5x7 acetate negative by ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/22/2016 - 8:54pm -

April 24, 1953. "Goucher College, Towson, Maryland. Library interior IV. Moore & Hutchins, client." 5x7 acetate negative by Gottscho-Schleisner. View full size. Circulation StatisticsI'm happy to report that I just checked the library catalogue, and "Science and Social Needs" by Julian Huxley is still available at the Goucher College Library. I wonder when it was last circulated... Sitting in the 500sThe Dewey Decimal 500s, that is! Science books for all of your studying needs are to the right. A contemporary book"These Our People", by R.A. Schermerhorn, is a book on minorities in American culture, and had been published in Boston by D.C. Heath just four years earlier, in 1949. It's available for online lending at openlibrary.org. Out the WindowThe rural expanse seen outdoors is long gone. The open country surrounding Goucher's campus is today composed of shopping centers, housing developments, multiple lane local roads, sequential traffic lights that take forever, interstate highways and lots and lots of TRAFFIC! The Towson of my youth, a semi small town at the end of the Number 8 car line and a still-busy way station on the Maryland & Pennsylvania Railroad, is as gone as ancient Carthage. College BoundAt that time Goucher was women only and Hopkins was male only. My late cousin Paula was a student there at this time. If you lived in Baltimore and went to college on the cheap, that's were you went. My father graduated Hopkins in 1921 for the same reason. Both campuses were rural, not any more. There is a picture of my father in uniform on the Homewood campus taken in 1918 and there is nary a building in sight. (The Gallery, Baltimore, Education, Schools, Gottscho-Schleisner)
Sorting: 1913
February 3, 1913. "Interior: N.Y. Post Office." 8x10 glass negative, George Grantham Bain ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/04/2012 - 1:57pm -

February 3, 1913. "Interior: N.Y. Post Office." 8x10 glass negative, George Grantham Bain Collection. View full size. FingerprintDid anyone notice the fingerprint on the right side of the photograph? Brick floorsand flat shoes! Bain's CameraWonder what kind of camera this was. The photo is so sharp. Re: Bain's CameraAn 8x10 or 5x7 view camera using glass-plate negatives. This shot used an 8x10 glass plate - basically a windowpane coated with emulsion. At 80 square inches it has 80 times the area of a 35mm film frame. (The Gallery, G.G. Bain, NYC)
Parts Department: 1925
... D.C., circa 1925. "Washington Virginia Motor Co. interior." National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/04/2012 - 12:03pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1925. "Washington Virginia Motor Co. interior." National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. HeatedThat's a gas heater with ceramic grid. My grandparents had one in their fake fireplace. Brrrr!For me, it's the fact that I bet they kept their sweaters on during the winter. Big area for a little space heater. Also, how long has it been since you've seen a modern parts department that clean and organized? No frillsNow that's what I call a no-frills light fixture. It's a good thing they have the fire extinguisher nearby. Ancillary functionsFor some reason, my favorite part of this photo is over there on the end of the bench, the packaging department with the fan scale, the big roll of wrapping paper and the cone of twine. I guess this goes along with my fascination with modular filing units, stationery supplies and office accessories: I'm a support services fanboy. Hot!There are several of these heaters in my great-grandparents' farmhouse (which happens to be right across the road from my place) and at least one in my place. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo)
Bring On the Boomers: 1947
... 27, 1947. "Kartch's, Main Street, Paterson, New Jersey. Interior from entrance." An early glimpse of postwar retailing in all its ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/11/2015 - 5:54pm -

January 27, 1947. "Kartch's, Main Street, Paterson, New Jersey. Interior from entrance." An early glimpse of postwar retailing in all its amoeboid, trapezoidal glory. Large-format acetate negative by Gottscho-Schleisner. View full size. Protoplastic, maybe . . . but Amoeboid?So okay, "trapezoidal" may legitimately describe certain design elements here, but nothing I see even remotely resembles that microscopic mass of protoplasm I remember from zoology class. [Stuff like this. -tterrace] Okay, if you're referring to that monstrosity hanging on the far wall, which is the only thing resembling any of those Google pics you buried me under. As for your choice of words, you just don't hear "amoeboid" much anymore, which is what really got my attention and which, I suspect, is the very reason you used it! Thanks for the buggy ride! This basic design held up for 25 years or so. I remember Pomeroy's in Willingboro looking pretty much like this into the early 70's AtomoidsDon't forget the skewered atoms hanging on the left. Sloppy workBefore the store closed for the night someone didn't do a good job straightening the shelves on the left. Just beyond are some very well straightened shelves. I've had many retail jobs between my various careers and have never forgotten how to do a proper job straightening shelves. "Don't just stand there waiting for customers, straighten those shelves!" Space to shopMom always loved stores like this that actually had room for shoppers to move around. Today's stores are so jammed packed, you are either bumping into another shopper, or a shelf, or tripping over stuff that fell on the floor from the last shopper passing through. (The Gallery, Gottscho-Schleisner, Stores & Markets)
Small-Mart: 1938
... cotton gin at Southeast Missouri Farms. See also the interior of one of these houses in a newer Shorpy post, Lard of the Flies . ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/31/2015 - 11:28am -

May 1938. "Store, La Forge, Missouri." Your source for Benz Baby Bowel Corrective. 35mm negative by the peripatetic Russell Lee. View full size. Sheesh!For a moment my initial thought about what the man was doing was that he was checking for text messages!!! The gas pump rulesToday that glass top gas pump would be worth all the goodies in the store (probably including the building as well). Talk about perceptionBecause of what I see every day now, it took me a few seconds to dismiss the idea that the boy in the overalls was checking his text messages. Home to a sharecropper housing projectOriginal, 11 June 2015: Some of this store's customers might have come from Southeast Missouri Farms, a Farm Security Administration project that provided housing and land for 100 sharecropper families. The houses looked like this when they were built in 1937. At one time there were apparently photographs from 2005-2006 of what remains of this project in La Forge, but Southern Illinois University doesn't know how to website. (Blocking even archive.org is a nice touch, guys.) Edit, 17 June 2018: My complaint above about SIU is partly rescinded; either SIU or archive.org has changed enough that archive.org has parts of the orignal SIU pages available. Googling those SIU URLs led me to the mirror linked below. Jane Adams, a professor at SIU, and her husband D. Gorton, took photos of some of the remaining houses in 2005-2006. I found a mirror of Adams' original pages at SIU, including the pictures of a few houses and the cotton gin at Southeast Missouri Farms. See also the interior of one of these houses in a newer Shorpy post, Lard of the Flies. (The Gallery, Gas Stations, Russell Lee, Stores & Markets)
« first‹ prev…18 [19]20…next ›last »
Syndicate content  Shorpy.com is a vintage photography site featuring thousands of high-definition images. The site is named after Shorpy Higginbotham, a teenage coal miner who lived 100 years ago. Contact us | Privacy policy | Accessibility Statement | Site © 2024 Shorpy Inc.