Rarely Seen Photographs of New York From the 1870s
Suspension Bridge, Niagara Falls, New York, circa 1871
In the 19th century, New York City became America’s largest city as well as a fascinating metropolis. Characters such as Washington Irving, Phineas T. Barnum, Cornelius Vanderbilt, and John Jacob Astor made their names in New York City. And despite blights on the city, such as the Five Points slum or the notorious 1863 Draft Riots, the city grew and prospered. Continue reading »
John Thomson’s Remarkable Photographs of China from the 1870s
Portrait of Young Manchu Woman in her Wedding Dress.
John Thomson (1837-1921) created work that was ground-breaking and pioneering. Far more pioneering than an innovative coiffure or a teen’s product placement on YouTube. Continue reading »
The Wonder Of Illustrating Perpetual Movement in Space From A 1875 Astronomy Book
These illustrations come from the book Astronomy (published 1875) by Jean Pierre Rambosson (1827-1886). Continue reading »
Rare Hand-Colored Photographs of Japan on The Brink of Modernity in 1870s
Street minstrel, Gose.
Here’re a few rare photographs from the 1870s taken by Shinichi Suzuki (1835-1918) who photographed Japan for a foreign newsmagazine called The Far East.
After his lumber family business was destroyed by a tsunami in 1854, Suzuki traveled to Yokohama where he became an established photographer. Many of his photographs were hand-colored, which is why they appear more realistic and modern than the black and white photos of that era. Continue reading »
