Historic New York Photo Collection

January 3, 2011 11:19 PM

"The Museum of the City of New York is pleased to announce the soft launch of its online collections portal [where you can] view more than 50,000 newly digitized photographs by Berenice Abbott, Samuel H. Gottscho, Jacob A. Riis, the Byron Company, the Wurts Brothers, and many others."
posted by peacay (5 comments total)

Gaah, the Flash interface! A lot of these photos (particularly Abbott/Wurts) are also available from the Library of Congress and/or the NYPL.
posted by zvs at 11:35 PM on January 3, 2011

Many of these photographs have interesting stories to tell:

Black tie and tails. Champagne was in a saddle bag fitted with tubes for rider consumption (from). Some more.

Street Arabs in sleeping quarters. Some other Street Arabs. Origin of the phrase Street Arab.

Veg. Dinner 10¢. A hangout much esteemed by unprincipled beggars, who knew they could discard their superfluous glasses and crutches in that understanding environment (from).

Luna Park is still around.

Cyclists performing. There will be no ‘going out for a drink’ between acts (from).

S. Scharlin & Son snuff shop. The prisoners are Jacob Scharlin, a deaf mute... (scroll down).

I'm sure there are more stories here.

posted by twoleftfeet at 12:42 AM on January 4, 2011 [1 favorite]

Excellent online photo collection. Thanks peacay.

That "Black tie and tails" one shows my great grandfather, Frank V. Burton. He's the one turning around in front. A little more backstory [pdf] about the man who hosted the event, CKG Billings, a "notable eccentric".
posted by nickyskye at 6:48 AM on January 4, 2011 [1 favorite]

OMG. Thanks for pulling all this together, peacay - a real treasure trove!
posted by OneMonkeysUncle at 8:58 AM on January 4, 2011

also especially awesome are pics of penn station demo
posted by armisme at 2:12 PM on January 4, 2011