Orson Welles: “How Did He Get That Way?” — 1940
A supine genius who had accomplished more by age 24 than… almost everyone.
Stand Pipes — Vol. 1
Check out the forgotten world of stand pipes — tall, cylindrical water towers often the pride and joy of cities and towns.
The Astrograph: Space-Age Writing Instrument
It’s a cool and quirky Swiss-designed pen. And it comes with its own launch pad and robot. (…And if you have to ask the price, you absolutely can’t afford it.)
Portable Darkroom Hood — 1924
What looks like a ghostly apparition was, in fact, a handy-dandy rubberized portable darkroom with which one could drape oneself whilst processing photographic plates. Read more….
Happy Valentine’s Day from Stan Lee — 1958
This is not the Stan Lee you’re used to seeing — see the Valentine’s Day installment of the rather obscure, short-lived comic strip at the link.
Charles Deaton’s “Ultra-Modern” Bank Design for Casper, Wyoming — 1964
Self-taught architect Charles Deaton said this about his futuristc-looking bank in, of all places, Casper, Wyoming: “It’s got everything it needs, no more or no less. It’s a complete composition. It has not been modified or changed in the construction or by the bank. It could not have been done if I did not have in the bank a client that wanted a creative effort. […] I have no apologies … no excuses. I like it.” Click to see more photos of this cool building (which, hallelujah, is still standing).
How a Telephone Switchboard Works — 1911
Interested in a step-by-step illustrated tutorial on how a telephone call was completed in 1911, when operators were needed to place all calls? Look no further! Click to read more…
Wyatt Metal & Boiler Works — 1939
This industrial metal structure — possibly in use at a Texas oil refinery? — looks pleasingly futuristic. The winding exterior staircase is a nice touch.
Merry Christmas from Thelma Todd and Her Giant Sombrero
Hollywood stars have always had to do silly things for the sake of publicity….
Massachusetts “In the Future” — ca. 1908
How did the future of years past differ from today’s present? For one thing, there are a lot fewer flying and floating contraptions littering the sky these days. Click to see some wonderfully odd postcards featuring visions of what several Massachusetts towns might look like “in the future.”
