Rube Goldberg turned a desk prank into a cartoon legacy filled with wild machines, clever comedy and an unexpected path to fame.
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Do you remember Shrinky Dinks? They were DIY crafts that could be made by coloring on a plastic sheet, cutting out the various shapes, and then shrinking them down using heat.
The vintage Spirograph toys let you create millions of colorful, startlingly beautiful extraordinarily intricate designs in infinite variety – all you needed were pens, paper and the kit’s plastic gears and wheels. Take a look!
What did the future look like from the ’60s? See some modernist-style retro futuristic home concepts that captured the midcentury era’s sleek style and space-age optimism.
Here, look back at the rediscovered art of stenciling, plus see dozens of examples of traditional stencil patterns from throughout history!
Building the Statue of Liberty took years, and it wasn’t easy! Look behind the scenes into how it was done, plus see close-up shots from renovations.
Toby Jugs came to America in the 1700s and quickly became a favorite collectible. Check out these examples of the art form!
Old streetcars (aka trolleys or trams) are more than just vintage transportation — they’re a window into our past. Streetcars helped shape American cities, and
Supergraphics: The epitome of 1970s charm Warning! Scrolling too fast through this post may induce a psychedelic experience! With that out of the way… The
See the surprising reasons so many old silent movies have completely disappeared — leaving us to wonder what cinematic treasures have been lost to the ages.
Check out these wild mod 1960s eye makeup looks! They include some creations from Pablo, Elizabeth Arden’s makeup designer, which were done using a variety of artistic cosmetic techniques.
Trade cards, the granddaddy of today’s trading cards, were common in the 1800s, and often showed offbeat images that existed solely to build brand buzz. Here’s a strange set showing people as vegetables.
As an alternative to paintings, drawings and sculptures, antique bust silhouettes like these – hand-cut from paper – were a relatively affordable way to remember loved ones.
Stained glass windows are back in style! Take a look at lots of gorgeous design examples, for churches, homes and businesses – plus get some historical perspective on stained and leaded glass art!
Remember apple head dolls – the early American craft with folk art roots that became popular again in the ’60s and ’70s? Find out how to make these shrunken apple dolls, and more about the art of dollmaking.
Based on one of the many traditional needlework crafts, these vintage needlepoint designs might just inspire you to get creative in all-new ways!
The first vintage Etch-A-Sketch toy was made back in 1960. It was a big seller from early on, and over the years, Ohio Art made several other creative, artistic toys – such as those shown here.
Years ago, companies promoted all kinds of vintage freebies and low-cost mail-in offers, usually requiring some boxtops or proof of purchase. Look back at some of the premiums from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s!
Before photography, you could keep memories of loved ones close by getting portrait miniatures painted. Now they’re highly-collectible antiques! Here’s a look at some of this classic artwork.
Looking for a fun and creative holiday project that’s a little different? Check out these crafty and cute vintage Christmas decorations, based on ideas popular back in the sixties.
You can make these super easy wax & tissue paper flowers for Christmas or any time of year! This vintage craft uses basic supplies, but creates a surprisingly beautiful result!
Here’s a little guide from the thirties to teach people how to make art using their vintage manual typewriters – pretty much old-fashioned ascii art and old-school smileys!
Here are eight beautiful views of Yellowstone National Park from more than a hundred years ago, as seen by artist Thomas Moran and published in 1875.
These beautiful antique silhouettes were cut by hand by artist Eveline Maydell, whose portrait clients included many of society’s wealthiest men and women.
These gorgeous illustrations of vintage fairies and other fanciful creatures were featured in magazines during the 1920s.
Here’s a collection of beautiful classic vintage stencil designs from the ’30s and earlier, along with patterns inspired by Greek, Roman, Persian and other classical designs.
Through the 40s, 50s & 60s, you’d see a new set of vintage calendar girls & pin-ups in garages, diners and dens each year. Take a look back!
These vintage Peter Max clocks were designed by the famous pop art illustrator, whose colorful & psychedelic designs were a distillation of the ’60s.
Here’s a look at a few dozen type styles from the first part of the 20th century – including a few old-fashioned fonts that have stood the test of time.
These bits of well-preserved vintage graphic artistry come from the simply-named Paints Oils Varnishes catalog from F. W. Devoe Co. of New York, which was
Shortly before her clothing line debuted – and back when her son, Anderson Cooper, was 8 years old – the multi-talented heiress Gloria Vanderbilt came out with her own print magazine: Gloria Vanderbilt Designs for Your Home.
Vanning has become an American craze. Today it means to personalize a common van and build a lifestyle around it. Throngs of Americans are doing it. A key feature of the outing is the mutual admiration of vans and the adorning artwork.
