Dream a Little Dream

People sleeping in days gone by (a part two; part one is here).

A soldier sleeping in the waiting room at Pennsylvania Station, NYC, 1943 (by Alfred Eisenstaedt, unsurprisingly). Source

No caption. Source

A woman sleeping in a train's observation lounge car, US, 1945. Source

Life in Early Colour

It's amazing how easy it is to picture the past in black and white. Even when we know of course it was as colourful as today, it's still striking to come across the shots that demonstrate this. Somehow colour makes it feel so much nearer. World War One in colour has a different effect than World War One in black and white. 

We've seen artistically arranged early colour photographs; today, everyday life from c.1900s to 1920s in full colour. From the collections of George Eastman House.

A woman and boy in a chair, c. 1915. Source

A woman and flowers, c. 1915. Source

Children and teachers, c. 1910. Source

War Posters on the Street

We've seen all kinds of wartime posters, from  "enlist now" to "buy war bonds" to "save food". However, seeing the nicely scanned image on the page is something different to seeing it in context. Today, a collection of World War Two posters where they were meant to be seen.

War Savings posters on the base of Nelson's Column, Trafalgar Square, London,. 1941. Source

A row of posters on an unknown street in Britain, 1942. Source

Children and posters advertising the War Savings Scheme, Canterbury, 1941. Source

San Francisco Earthquake

Today, in 1906, a massive earthquake devastated San Francisco. These photographs are a vivid view of the incredible and frightening destruction. 

From the collections of the Southern Methodist University, Central University Libraries.

Van Ness Avenue at Vallejo St. Source

O'Farrell St. from Stockton. Source

The Corner of 7th and Natoma. Source

Flappers and Philosophers

Women of the 1920s! (these come with varying amounts of info; I've included what there is, when there's anything).

The title, by the way, comes from the title of F. Scott Fitzgerald's first book of short stories. I love it.

1924. Source

1924. Source

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A flapper medallion. Source

Women modelling fashion, Florida, 1929. Source

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1920. Source

20s beach fun. Source

A bit of 1920s colour. Source

A young woman brushing a hat to keep it clean (thanks to Shay for letting me know that!). Source

1928. Source

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Princess Mary talks to a British army officer in Belfast, 1928. Source

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1924. Source

A Turkish woman in modern dress, 1925. Source

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Of course, the 20s weren't all jazz and bathtub gin. A group of young women hook rugs, 1929. Source

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1923. Source

Sweden, 1929. Source

1923. Source

1922. Source

Female jazz band the Ingenues arrive in Sydney, Australia, 1928-29. Source