Quiddity

6 Abandoned Asylums

io9 has a great post on 6 abandoned mental asylums and the stories behind them.  Creepy stuff.

There is one story from Topeka State Hospital that is sure to make your skin crawl: According to the Topeka Capital-Journal, a reporter visited the facility at some point during the early 20th century and saw a patient who had been strapped down for so long that his skin had begun to grow over his restraints. Other patients were chained up while naked for months at a time.

And just for fun, here's Jessica Lange singing The Name Game on American Horror Story.  Never gets old.

Women Workers Wearing Gas Masks

Women workers wearing gas masks in Tokyo circa 1939.  

Vintage Victorian Costumes for a Fancy Dance Party

It figures that the guy dressed as bacon would win 1st prize.  Check out these wild Victorian costumes.  Lady Paget as Cleopatra looks amazing.  Love the fan.

Via essie fox.

25 Vintage Photos of Librarians Being Awesome

Flavorwire has a great collection of vintage photographs featuring librarians.  I would love to know the story behind this picture.

How to create a giant spider for a low budget sci-fi movie.

Hubcab Spaceships, Giant Spiders, and the Charm of Low Budget Special Effects via Neatorama.

The giant spider was made using a VW bug for the body and 8 men moving the legs inside.

“We had to physically make this thing move, so the quickest, cheapest way is to buy a Volkswagen bug,” he says. “It’s low to the ground, the engine’s in the back, and we can put everything on the frame on the front. We built off it, we welded everything to the body. We used it as a mode of transport, of making it move, and it was low enough to the ground where we could hide it. That way we could drive it up over the hill, and into the city. And the same time we’re rowing the legs, and trying to keep everybody in synch!”

 

Giant 1930s Robot

1930's Ericsson robot in Mexico city via The Retronaut.

Vintage passports belonging to celebrities

It's amazing how great all of these famous people look in their passport photo.

Link via nag on the lake.

How to give birth to rabbits

Ah, the bizarre tale of Mary Toft's bunny hoax.  I know I've blogged about her before, but this story never gets old.  This article goes into more detail about how it was achieved.

And so on 27 September, the Tofts cut up a cat, took out its guts and liver, inserted into its intestines the backbone of an eel they had eaten for dinner the previous Sunday, placed the concoction in Mary Toft, and left her alone in the house. She then sent for a neighbor, Mary Gill, complained that she was in great pain, feigned a brief labor, and let her friend hear the monster fall into a pot.

Hanging out at the Disneyland cafeteria (1962)

I wonder what the Disneyland cafeteria food was like.  Hmmmm.

Link via scrubbles.

A history of Frida Kahlo's fashion sense

Uncovering Clues in Frida Kahlo’s Private Wardrobe

The above 1890 photograph show's Frida's mother when she was a little girl.

You have a very heavy headpiece made with pleats and flowers and ribbons, so the adornment is concentrated around the head. Then you have the huipil, which is a short blouse, usually accompanied by a lot of jewelry, and finally a long skirt. The Tehuantepec Isthmus is a matriarchal society, so that means women dominate the culture; they administer the society. Frida Kahlo didn’t just choose any dress from Mexico. She chose a dress that symbolizes a very powerful woman.

Frida's prosthetic leg from 1935.

Going for a joyride on the moon in 1972

Astronauts John Young & Charles Duke taped their drive on the moon in 1972.

Link via coudal.