16 retro photos proving that there have always been enough oddities (17 photos)

The impossibility of capturing every moment in the past adds immense value to them. And what was photographed then was something special, not every angle, every pose, or every bouquet of flowers that appeared in the house. From black-and-white photographs, we can try to recreate how people once lived: what was ordinary for them, and what was still strange. We look for oddities in our reality, but today's images will show that many such things existed in past centuries, too.





And again, a column about unusual pets – a snake on a leash, 1937



This American burlesque dancer, Zorita, doesn't just keep a snake; she dances with boa constrictors. That's how she became famous.

A salesman who knows how to draw attention to his product – peanuts. This costume is made of peanuts, 1890.





Water skis – a means of transportation for witches, 1950s



The photo shows a water show at Cpyrus Gardens (now Legoland FL). The show could be viewed directly from the shore. Another option was from a boat on the opposite side of the lake.

A bicycle the whole family could ride, 1939



But the structure doesn't look safe.

37th US President Richard Nixon in the same frame with Robocop



This seems to be the man's happiest encounter in his entire life, if you pay attention to his gaze.

Michelin's first mascot was completely different from the one we have today, 1898



Easter celebration, 1926



A girl won the Miss Unsafe Brakes beauty contest. 1939



Many of you were surprised by such an unusual competition. But the fact is, in those years in the US, everyone and their dog organized similar competitions, and girls participated. Why? It's unknown.

It seems that every era has had its share of strange and not-so-strange hairstyles, 1894



A 17-year-old boy, his scooter, 34 rearview mirrors and 81 headlights, 1983



Who here thinks they've seen the most show-off teenager up to this point?

A fertilizer advert featuring models, 1956



Architects wore costumes shaped like the buildings they designed to a ball, 1931



And in such a spacesuit, they could explore the Moon. 1960



And again, the Michelin mascots, this time even a band. Performance at the opening of the radio show "Michelin Hour," 1928



Someone might ask, why were there costumes for radio shows back then? It turns out that if they hadn't existed back then, there wouldn't have been a photograph.

One of the methods for combating depression at the time, 1937



It was only later that they realized this method was ineffective, but they knew depression needed to be treated.

Cow Serenade, performed by a woman, 1930