Archive · Science · Mores · Humour
In 1830 the American inventor James Barron patented a mechanical fan with this witty drawing, in which a man reclining on a sofa smokes at his ease and only an open sheet of the Hard Working Men Journal reminds us of the burdens of labour. The fan, driven by clockwork
Archive · Moscow · Museums
The website of the State Historical Museum now offers a million digitised exhibits from 16 collections: precious metals, fine-art materials, archaeological monuments, early Russian painting, wood and furniture, ceramics and glass, numismatics and much else besides. And that is not all: the museum promises to add a further 5
Archive · Books · People
"Innocent Speeches", "Peasant Women", "Dreams", "The Wife", "Three Sisters": these and other editions of Chekhov published in his lifetime have been made freely available by the National Electronic Library in honour of Anton Pavlovich's 160th birthday, as part
Archive · Books · Mores · People · Pop Culture
The German accountant Matthäus Schwarz decided to gather in a single book every outfit he had ever worn, annotate them at length and explain the circumstances that had prompted him to choose those very costumes. The fascinating life of a humble bookkeeper, from his childhood, when at the age of
Coming Up · Archive · Museums · Observations
Have you ever wondered what Berlin looked like in the first months after Victory? The Jewish Museum and Tolerance Center has opened the exhibition “Unknown Berlin. May 1945”, which brings together previously unpublished photographs of Berlin in the spring and summer of 1945: people in the city, victorious soldiers, high-
NB! · Archive · Observations · Humour
A subscriber informs me in a private message that the letter was written with a broad-nibbed pen, not a pointed one. Having looked through the other comments of the esteemed Matroskin on Dzen, I understand that, contrary to the instructions, he has rather incautiously lapsed into dotage(
Archive · Observations · Society · Humour
Some time ago a letter from 1933, found in an old book, was published on "The Golden Age". In it a certain woman describes the grim state of affairs in Vitebsk and asks the relative to whom the letter is addressed to send her a dozen silver teaspoons.
Archive · New York · People · Humour
F. Engels, a sprightly 33, lives in his father's house and is forever cadging money from him. He sneers at the intimate life of the 23-year-old A. Jacobi, who had spent a year in prison over the sham Cologne Communist Trial, been convicted of "insulting
Archive · Geography · Maps · Science
The cultural-historical site Runivers has posted consolidated reference materials on the medieval Russian lands: complete lists of the ruling princes, specially drawn maps of the principalities, and more. All of the materials are freely accessible.
NB! · Archive · Mores · Society · Humour
Aristocracy · Archive · Monarchies
Marina Amaral has colourised a snap of Franz Ferdinand taken a couple of minutes before his assassination on 28 June 1914. The Archduke wears the pale blue tunic of a general of cavalry, black trousers with red stripes and a cap with green parrot feathers. His wife, the Most Serene
NB! · Archive · Art · Humour