The 1904 Humber 8.5HP: A Milestone in Early British Motoring

The 1904 Humber 8.5HP Two-Cylinder Two-Seater stands as a quintessential example of the “Veteran” car era, reflecting the rapid engineering evolution at the turn of the 20th century. Produced by the renowned British manufacturer Humber Limited at their Beeston works, this model was celebrated for its robust build and reliability. Powered by a vertical twin-cylinder engine, the 8.5HP was a significant step up from the single-cylinder “voiturettes” of the time, offering a smoother and more capable driving experience for early motorists.

The design featured a classic open two-seater layout, often accompanied by the iconic “brass era” aesthetic: gleaming lamps, a prominent radiator, and leather upholstery. Its mechanical simplicity, featuring a three-speed gearbox and a leather-faced cone clutch, made it a favorite among doctors and professionals who required a dependable vehicle for daily use.

Humber marketed these vehicles at approximately £260 (about $1,260 at the time), targeting buyers who wanted more power than standard offerings provided. Today, these vehicles are highly prized by collectors and are iconic participants in the prestigious London to Brighton Veteran Car Run, serving as a living testament to the dawn of the automotive age.

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30 Stunning Portraits of a Very Young and Beautiful Lana Turner in the 1930s

Lana Turner (February 8, 1921 – June 29, 1995) was an American actress. Over a career spanning nearly five decades, she achieved fame as both a pin-up model and a film actress, as well as for her highly publicized personal life. In the 1930s, Turner transitioned from a teenage girl in poverty to a Hollywood sensation known as the “Sweater Girl.”

In 1936, 15-year-old Julia Jean Turner was a student at Hollywood High School. While skipping a typing class to buy a Coca-Cola at the Top Hat Malt Shop, she was spotted by William R. Wilkerson, publisher of The Hollywood Reporter. This chance encounter led to her being signed by director Mervyn LeRoy, who suggested she change her name to Lana. 

She made her screen debut in the 1937 film They Won’t Forget. Despite a small role, her appearance in a tight-fitting sweater earned her the nickname “The Sweater Girl,” a title she famously detested because it overemphasized her physical attributes. Originally signed to Warner Bros. for $50 a week, she followed LeRoy to MGM in 1938, where her career truly accelerated.

Born a brunette, Turner’s look was meticulously crafted by studios. In 1939, she bleached her hair blonde for the film Idiot’s Delight, a change that became her signature and led to her being dubbed the "Nightclub Queen" by the press.

By the end of the 1930s, she had moved from a $50-a-week contract to becoming a top-billed actress, setting the stage for her peak stardom as a femme fatale in the 1940s.

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30 Photos of James Dean as a Teenager in the 1940s

Long before he was the “Rebel Without a Cause,” James Dean was a quintessential small-town high schooler in 1940s Indiana. His teenage years were defined by a mix of athletic success, artistic experimentation, and a growing restless energy.

In the 1940s, Dean was a prominent figure at Fairmount High School, known more for his physical prowess than his brooding intensity. Despite being 5’8”, he was a star on the varsity basketball team, once scoring 15 of his team’s 34 points in a critical rivalry game. He played third base for four years and maintained a strong .333 batting average for his American Legion baseball team. He was also a county pole vault champion, setting a record that stood for years.

His interest in performing was nurtured by his high school drama teacher, Adeline Nall, who became a lifelong mentor. He participated in numerous school plays, famously portraying a “teenage Frankenstein” in a comedy review. He also competed in public speaking and forensics through the Indiana High School Forensic Association. He played the drums and was known to enjoy the bongos, a hobby that followed him into adulthood. 

The seeds of his “cool” persona were planted during these years in Fairmount. For his high school graduation, his uncle Marcus bought him a motorized bicycle, which Dean soon traded in for a motorcycle. He became known for performing daring stunts around town. Peers remembered him as popular but introspective, often preferring to daydream or spend time on his aunt and uncle's farm.

Dean graduated in May 1949 and moved back to California that summer, marking the end of his Indiana upbringing and the beginning of his journey toward Hollywood.

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Françoise Dorléac: The Spirit of 1960s French Cinema

Françoise Dorléac was a radiant force of nature who became a definitive icon of the French New Wave before her life was tragically cut short.

Known for her sharp wit, effortless elegance, and spirited energy, she delivered unforgettable performances in classics such as That Man from Rio and François Truffaut’s The Soft Skin. Perhaps her most cherished legacy is the 1967 musical The Young Girls of Rochefort, where she starred alongside her sister, Catherine Deneuve.

While Deneuve represented a cool, blonde detachment, Dorléac was the vibrant, brunette heart of the era, a whirlwind of talent and charm. Her untimely passing at the age of 25 remains one of cinema’s greatest losses, but she forever remains the quintessential spirit of 1960s French sophistication.

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That Time Matthew Perry and Jennifer Aniston Did an Advert for Windows 95

In 1995, at the peak of their Friends fame, Matthew Perry and Jennifer Aniston starred in a 60-minute instructional video titled the Microsoft Windows 95 Video Guide. Marketed as the “world’s first cyber sitcom,” the production was released on VHS to teach users the basics of the new operating system.

The actors play themselves visiting Bill Gates' office to audition for a role in a Microsoft video guide. They are guided through the "top 25 features" of Windows 95, including the Start button, right-clicking, multitasking, and the Recycle Bin.

Along the way, they interact with a cast of eccentric characters, such as a “martial arts guru” and “Joystick Johnny,” who explain technical concepts like Plug and Play. The video features iconic era-specific moments, such as Aniston calling copy-pasting “trippy” and Perry learning how to send an email to a friend in a grunge band.

The tape was divided into three sections: the “cyber sitcom,” a step-by-step technical review, and a section answering the 20 most frequently asked questions.

It’s a fascinating piece of tech-marketing history, especially considering Windows 95 was the version that truly moved PCs into the mainstream.

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40 Amazing Studio Portraits Reveal the Unique Occupations of Victorians

In the 19th century, the photography studio became a stage where the working class could immortalize their professional identities with dignity and pride.

These amazing studio portraits offer more than just a visual record, they reveal the unique occupations of Victorians by capturing individuals posed with the specific tools of their trades. Whether it was a chimney sweep holding his soot-covered brushes, a fishmonger with a woven basket, or a maid in her stiffly starched apron, these subjects treated their work as a badge of honor.

Unlike the candid nature of street photography, these formal settings allowed for a detailed look at the specialized uniforms and equipment of the era. Each frame serves as a poignant time capsule, preserving a glimpse into a complex social hierarchy and the vanished crafts that once powered the heart of the Victorian world.

The nanny

A civil war photographer

A cobbler wearing a heavy apron, likely stained with leather dyes and polishes, rests his hands upon a shoe last mounted to a stand

A farrier with his tools of the trade

A fisherman

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The Story of the Anne Sullivan and Helen Keller Friendship

The story of Anne Sullivan and Helen Keller is one of the most famous examples of human resilience and the power of education. It is a partnership that lasted nearly 50 years, transforming a “wild child” into one of the most influential figures of the 20th century.

In 1882, nineteen-month-old Helen Keller lost her sight and hearing to an illness (likely scarlet fever or meningitis). By age six, she was frustrated and often violent, communicating only through primitive “crude signs.” Her parents contacted the Perkins Institution for the Blind, who sent Anne Sullivan, a 20-year-old recent graduate who had regained some of her own sight after several operations.

Sullivan began by spelling words into Helen’s hand using the manual alphabet, but Helen didn’t understand that these finger movements represented objects. The turning point occurred on April 5, 1887: Sullivan took Keller to the outdoor water pump, as cool water poured over one of Keller’s hands, Sullivan spelled W-A-T-E-R into the other. Keller later described this as the moment her soul was awakened, realizing the “cool something” had a name. By the end of that day, Keller had learned 30 new words.

Sullivan stayed by Keller’s side for decades, serving as her “Teacher,” interpreter, and companion. Sullivan accompanied Keller to Radcliffe College, spelling lectures into her hand. In 1904, Keller became the first deaf-blind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree. The duo traveled the world, lecturing on behalf of the American Foundation for the Blind and advocating for women’s suffrage and workers’ rights. Their relationship was immortalized in William Gibson’s play and subsequent film, The Miracle Worker, which focused on their early struggle to communicate.

Even as Sullivan’s own health and eyesight began to fail again, she remained Helen’s primary link to the world. When Sullivan died in 1936, Keller was holding her hand. Keller lived for another 32 years, but she always credited “Teacher” for every accomplishment she achieved.

“The most important day I remember in all my life is the one on which my teacher, Anne Mansfield Sullivan, came to me.” — Helen Keller

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