Guns have played a significant role in shaping human history, from the development of early firearms in the 14th century to the modern weapons used in warfare today. Throughout this history, there have been numerous examples of guns that were not only effective at their intended purpose but also had a unique and sometimes bizarre appearance. From antique firearms adorned with intricate engravings and elaborate designs to the futuristic guns of science fiction, the world of guns has always been a blend of both elegance and eccentricity....

Macaroni, a 10-year-old part-Shetland gelding, was given to young Caroline Kennedy as a gift from Lyndon B. Johnson. The pony was occasionally brought to the White House from its stables at Glen Ora, the Kennedy estate in Virginia horse country, and is featured in iconic photographs of the Kennedy family at the White House. Tourists would often spot Caroline and her friends taking turns going for rides. If there was snow on the ground, a sleigh might be attached to Macaroni....

In the 1930s, make-up legend Max Factor came up with an ingenious invention combining phrenology, cosmetics, and a pseudo-scientific approach to analyze a woman’s facial flaws. This is the Beauty Micrometer, a Clockwork Orange-style device that claimed to measure facial ugliness. Placed on and around the head and face, the beauty micrometer uses flexible metal strips which align with a person’s facial features. The screws holding the strips in place allow for 325 adjustments, enabling the operator to make fine measurements with a precision of one-thousandth of an inch....

These brave men and women risked their lives to save countless priceless artworks from the clutches of the Nazis during World War II. With their unwavering dedication to the cause, they left an indelible mark on the world of art and culture, ensuring that future generations would have access to the masterpieces of the past. These images capture the essence of a time when the fate of the world’s cultural treasures hung in the balance....

Shanina volunteered for the military after the death of her brother in 1941 and chose to be a marksman on the front line. Praised for her shooting accuracy, Shanina was capable of precisely hitting enemy personnel and making doublets (two target hits by two rounds fired in quick succession). In 1944, a Canadian newspaper described Shanina as “the unseen terror of East Prussia”. She became the first Soviet female sniper to be awarded the Order of Glory and was the first servicewoman of the 3rd Belorussian Front to receive it....

This Athenian soldier first completed a two-day run to seek Spartan help against the invading Persians in the Battle of Marathon, and then ran from the town of Marathon to Athens days later to announce the victory, dying as a result of his heroic efforts. The race started in Marathon, and ran for 40 kilometers over dusty roads to Athens. The early leader of the race, which led over dusty dirt roads along which throngs of Greeks had gathered to watch, was the Frenchman Albin Lermusiaux, who had earlier placed third in the 1500 meters....

The most significant model submitted was a portable device, consisting of a vertical single cylinder 4 feet (1.2 m) long, horizontally divided in two, with pressurized gas in the lower section and flammable oil in the upper section. On depressing a lever the propellant gas forced the flammable oil into and through a rubber tube and over a simple igniting wick device in a steel nozzle. The weapon projected a jet of fire and enormous clouds of smoke some 20 yards (18 m)....

The incredible set of images, many of them taken by the legendary early American photographer Mathew Brady, show a selection of various portraits taken as daguerreotype images. Many of these people were born in the 1700s and some of them even lived through the American Revolutionary War. Other portraits come without any accompanying documentation so it can be very difficult to identify the subject or the photographer. The technique used to capture these images was called daguerreotype and it was the first publicly available photographic process; it was widely used during the 1840s and 1850s....

Green, (such as pea green and drab), yellow, pink, and orange (such as peach and saffron) hues were popular for wallpaper, carpets, curtains, sofas, chair seats, and cushions, often with patterns or bright flowers. English decorator David Hicks was an important influence on interiors in the 1960s, inspired by bright colours associated with India. Hicks popularized use of “psychedelic patterns and acid-edged colors,” peaking in the period 1967–1973, a time when there was interest in the Hippie movement and “flower power....

With its lush forests, stunning views, and diverse wildlife, the park has become a beloved landmark of the city. This article shows old photos of Stanley Park, providing an unprecedented glimpse into the park’s history. Stanley Park has a long history. The land was originally used by Indigenous peoples for thousands of years before British Columbia was colonized by the British during the 1858 Fraser Canyon Gold Rush and was one of the first areas to be explored in the city....

As the closest seaside resort to Paris, the city and its region of the Côte Fleurie (Flowery Coast) has long been home to French high society’s seaside houses and is often referred to as the Parisian riviera. In addition to villas and mansions, the town of Deauville boasted casinos, horse races, luxury boutiques, a beachside boardwalk, and therapeutic baths. The main attraction, though, was the wide sandy beach, which offered opportunities for sunbathing, donkey rides, aerobics, and other outdoor activities....

It wasn’t until the 1960s that the open office really started to gain traction as a popular design for workplaces. Bürolandschaft, originally a German design approach that translates to “office landscape,” aimed to democratize the workplace and create more interaction among colleagues. In response to the growing popularity of the vast, open office space, Robert Propst, president of Herman Miller Research Corp., wrote, “Today’s office is a wasteland. It saps vitality, blocks talent, frustrates accomplishment....

However, amid the sea of heartfelt messages, there exists a collection of vintage Valentine’s cards from the mid-20th century that are nothing short of peculiar, creepy, and downright strange. These relics from the past offer a glimpse into the quirky humor and unconventional tastes of yesteryear. Back in the day, expressing love took a rather perplexing turn. Vintage Valentine’s cards featured enigmatic messages and cryptic illustrations that often left recipients scratching their heads....

In 1937, while in Southern California to cover the Chicago Cubs’ spring training season, Ronald Reagan did a screen test for the Warner Brothers movie studio. The studio signed him to a contract, and that same year he made his film debut in “Love is on the Air,” playing a radio news reporter. Over the next three decades, he appeared in more than 50 movies. Among his best-known roles was that of Notre Dame football star George Gipp in the 1940 biographical film “Knute Rockne All American....

In this collection, we will dive into vintage advertisements and take a look at car advertisements between the 1900s and 1950s. The very first and simple car ads were a sign of times that emphasized the fact that cars were the ultimate luxury. The first auto ad appeared in 1898 in the newspaper of Ohio. The title of the auto ad was very straightforward in terms of marketing. It included a call to action, “Dispense with a Horse”....

Built between 1916 and 1923, the Lingotto factory building was the brainchild of Italian engineer Giacomo Mattè-Trucco and was one of the first buildings of its size to rely heavily on reinforced concrete. The building is formed of two longitudinal bodies, each 507 meters in length by 24 meters wide, joined together by five transversal bodies and two twisted ramps on each end. The cars were assembled while moving from the ground floor to the fifth floor....

That encounter sparked Curtis’ lifelong fascination with the cultures and lives of Native American tribes. He soon joined expeditions to visit tribes in Alaska and Montana. In 1906, Curtis was approached by wealthy financier J.P. Morgan, who was interested in funding a documentary project on the indigenous people of the continent. They conceived a 20-volume series, called The North American Indian. With a trail wagon and assistants traveling ahead to arrange visits, Edward Curtis set out on a journey that would see him photograph the most important Native Americans of the time, including Geronimo, Red Cloud, Medicine Crow, and Chief Joseph....

There is the romance of long-forgotten times when Belfast trams still ran, and steam trains thundered to Derry, Enniskillen, and Newcastle while the Fintona horse tram was still in operation. There were only 60,000 phones so the telegram, letter, and postcard remained crucial to communication. There were still 50,000 horses on Ulster farms and they remained a significant element in urban transport and outnumbered the 54,000 cars. In the home, central heating and double glazing were almost unheard of, and very few households possessed a fridge....

Unlike the bombs with which the US Air Force had scorched Japan for roughly a year, this bomb was not filled with the usual incendiaries. Rather than isobutyl methacrylate or its more famous kin, napalm, this bomb was packed with two masses of highly enriched uranium-235. The bomb, named “Little Boy”, was anything but snout-nosed, and weighing in at 9,700 pounds (4,400 kg), it resembled nothing more than an obese metal baseball bat....

The early part of the 20th century saw the city of Detroit, Michigan, rise to prominence on the huge growth of the auto industry and related manufacturers. The 1940s were boom years of development, but the decade was full of upheaval and change, as factories re-tooled to build war machines, and women started taking on men’s roles in the workplace, as men shipped overseas to fight in World War II....