Beachcombing's Bizarre History Blog

So awkward, love the eyes… EC writes, 30 May 2016: I don’t have an ironclad source but the internet is saying that the woman is Clara Bow and the picture dates to the 20s, i.e. before the NSDAP had worked up a head of steam. (1), (2) http://sydneyflapper.tumblr.com/post/53971362765/missclarabow-leafwoman-i-used-to-think    

If you don’t know what an aquamanile is look it up. I had to and am now a better person for it…

13 or 14 Century Wild Man with thanks to Bruce…

Allegedly Dioscorides and presumably late medieval?

Absolutely dreadful art, but interesting history. The Germans are facing away from the ‘camera’ naturally.

Found this very beautiful GL writes, 30 April 2016, It’s a very understandable error, but what you are picturing here is not a knitting needle. All the carving would be seriously inconvenient if you were trying to use it to directly manipulate loops of yarn (as knitting does). There is a reason why knitting needles […]

Happy Times in the Russian Girl Guides. Some of them look like they’ve killed a lot of the enemy, note bottom right eyes

Bonnie and Clyde, first time I’ve seen her, she’s terrifying.

Haven’t found the origin for this image: seems to be repeated a lot in the 19Cent 30 April 2016, Chris from Haunted Ohio Books: The image of raising the dead is by George Cruikshank and is an illustration from Guy Fawkes, William Harrison Ainsworth, 1840. It represents Doctor Dee and Edward Kelley, exhuming the body of Elizabeth […]

Perhaps not prehistoric history, but still magnificent  

No date…

Note Hemorrhoids, bottom left.  

The French build fake wooden guns in the Great War

Oberon and Titania and the marital bed: reconciled?

Taken in 1927 with a heart, Sally Rand: speakies turned her into an erotic dancer.